iPad launches to feverish online discussion in Asia Pacific : Nielsen

Nielsen’s analysis of online discussion in the region has revealed the tablet computer’s first week on the market was met by high volumes of online consumer chat in social media including forums, blogs, Twitter and Facebook, backing up peaks in discussion earlier in the year when Apple officially announced the launch of the iPad and when the iPad was released in the US.

The Asia-Pacific report finds that online discussions about the device were 2.5 times more likely to be positive than negative.

Anticipation is also growing in markets where the iPad is yet to become available. South Korea posted the highest levels of online discussion in the region (four times higher than the next closest country Japan) despite the fact that South Koreans have not yet been issued a launch date for the device.

Mark Higginson, director of analytics for Nielsen’s online business, observes: “The power of social media to generate excitement around product launches is more evident than ever in the case of Apple’s products such as the iPad.”

“Apple’s ability to truly engage and enmesh with its consumers is envied by marketers the world round, and this can largely be credited to consumers’ online discussions, which is doing free marketing for them.”

Nielsen's analysis was conducted in Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India through its Nielsen BuzzMetrics research tool.

Apple is expecting to sell 8.13 million iPad units worldwide by the end of this year. RBC Capital Markers predicts the sales will add US$4 billion in revenue to the fiscal year for Apple.

On a seperate note, Jetstar became one of the first airlines in the world to trial the iPad for onboard entertainment.