Sunday, 18 August 2013

Tesco Plans Tablet Launch In TIme For Christmas - But Is It Enough To Fend Off Amazon and Apple

It looks like the tablet computer has reached the point of commodity. Supermarket Tesco plans to launch its own version to rival Apple, Samsung and Amazon before Christmas.

The iPad-style device will be pre-loaded with books, films and music and with ready installed apps for Tesco's grocery delivery service, banking products and its in-house film and music service Blinkbox.

The Sunday Times said the device would be a 'high quality' and similar the the Amazon's Kindle Fire which costs £130, according to a source. The firm wants to retaliate against Amazon and Apple which have dominated the books, music and DVD market for many years.

The device will also be seen as a way to better ensure shopper loyalty as users, at least initially, are more likely to use Tesco's services.

However, with shopper loyalty at an all time low - driven partly by the internet and the use of tablet computers - we are not convinced this will be the key.

We think the key to loyalty will come from innovative products - of which this may be one - and service that is not being offered by other supermarkets, online retailers and the high street.

At least Tesco - with its much-praised new Watford store as a template for the future - is doing something about it. But finding a point of difference for today's retail giants will be all the more difficult in the coming years.

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