Nemertes Impact Analysis:

Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) new iPad features a multitouch screen, the A4 custom CPU, 802.11n WiFi and optional 3G connectivity. Bridging the gap between an iPhone and a MacBook, iPad demonstrates that the lines between smartphone, netbook and laptop are erased. Though it may succeed as a consumer device, challenging Netbooks and book readers including Amazon's (NASDAQ:AMZN) Kindle, it will find it harder to penetrate the enterprise.

iPad's greatest weakness: it runs the iPhone's OS, giving it access to hundreds of thousands of iPhone applications but failing to support multitasking or most key enterprise-grade MacOS applications. With the addition of software like Citrix's (NASDAQ:CTXS) Receiver, though, the iPad could make a compelling thin client for mobile worker applications such as Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE.

Impacts:

Enterprise: It is an interesting device for some mobile applications or as a thin client, but not ready to replace laptops or most Netbooks.

Vendors: If you rejected development of enterprise software on the iPhone, reconsider, targeting iPad instead.

Investors: Apple will be challenging Netbook manufacturers including Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ), ASUSTek (TPE:2357) and Dell (NASDAQ:DELL), for consumer/entertainment market share, and may erode their enterprise sales later.

Irwin Lazar, Vice President, Communications and Collaboration Research

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