UK shoppers hold out for iPad 2

Consumers are putting their PC tablet purchases on hold in anticipation of the iPad 2 launch this week, according to Idealo.co.uk.

Data from the price comparison site reveals that searches for the iPad have fallen by 94 per cent since January. On the whole, searches for tablet PCs are down 47 per cent on last year.

In response to falling demand, retailers are dropping their prices in an attempt to encourage sales. On average, prices across the five most popular tablets have fallen by 12 per cent since January with the cheapest iPad falling to £389.95. As they try to increase sales, retailers, including Currys, have launched voucher codes, discounting iPads by as much as seven per cent.

The five most popular tablet PCs as listed on Idealo.co.uk are as follows:

Apple iPad 32GB

Samsung Galaxy Tab 16GB

Apple iPad 64GB

Dell Inspiron Duo

Archos 101

‚Rumours around the features of the latest iPad have been rife for months now and consumers are clearly holding out to see whether it’s worth the wait,‚ said David McLoughlin, manager at Idealo.co.uk. ‚Following the launch we’d expect prices on older models to fall further, so for those looking to invest in a tablet PC this could be a great week to get a good deal.‚