Average Tablet Prices Have Fallen Substantially

IMS Research conducts surveys on the tablet PC market every quarter, which is what ultimately allowed it to figure out exactly how much cheaper slates are this year, compared to their earlier days.

The survey we are looking at covers the first quarter of this year (2012), which means the January-March period.

What it shows, based on a comparison between 1Q12 and 1Q11, is that the average selling price of tablets decreased by around 21% over the course of 2011.

Currently, the sum hovers at the $386 mark, or 307 Euro, if exchange rates are to be believed.

Low-end tablets helped a lot here, since they indirectly led to the selling tags of higher-end models sliding down as well.

The iPad 2 is specifically mentioned as well. Selling for $399 / 318 Euro, it acted as a strong incentive for other slate makers to give up on the $500 / $600 price point.