Apple cements iPad 2 as tablet king, challengers return to drawing board

Praise and accolades have been pouring in for Apple's newest ad for the iPad 2. After viewing the ad, it was clear that the iPad 2 holds its firm position as king, leaving competitors to rethink its strategy in the ever growing tablet war.

While Apple struggled to keep up with iPad 2 demands, as Apple COO Tim Cook describes the mother of all backlogs, tablet competitors have reduced their production rates on devices because of low sales. The iPad was the first mainstream tablet that has consistently held onto customers amidst the flurry of new technology and designed tablets to hit the market. Apple kept their customers happy and competitors have had a difficult time winning them away from the iPad.

Android is trailing and has potential to overtake the throne from Apple, but it will require a significant wow factor in order to win its loyal fanbase. With the current specifications on Android's leading tablets, Apple's iPad 2 hardware is very similar in comparison. The HP Touchpad and Apple iPad 2 screens both are 1024 x 768, though the Motorola Xoom has the upper hand with a 1280x800 resolution. Storage spaces offer 32 GB for both the Xoom and iPad 2, but iPad 2 offers up to a larger 64 GB version. All offer Bluetooth 802.11n with 3G options, 10 hour battery life, and front- and rear-facing cameras.

The Motorola Xoom does however offer a better processor with it Nvidia Tegra dual core 2.1 GHz. Apple iPad 2's dual core 1 GHz A5 will need to upgrade in the next version if it tends to keep their title. Apple's iPad 3 is rumored to upgrade the screen up to 6 times better resolution, which will give some competitors something to think about when the next wave of tablets are set to release.

Apple's recent TV ad reminded the industry where their iPad 2 still reigns. The product powerfully presented its message with emotion, aesthetics, and with a little boasting. The ad describes the device as versatile and hints at the role it played in changing the world. Other tablets offer similar features, but that may be the underlying factor as competitors will need to scout for more unique offerings if it plans to dethrone the king.