T he Wall Street Journal reports on a research note from Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope based on meetings with Apple executives revealing that the company has apparently left the door open to future price cuts on the iPad should customer demand not meet expectations. Many observers were surprised by Apple's entry-level price point of $499 for the iPad, with general consensus having been that pricing would come in significantly higher. [2]

Not today, or tomorrow, but a price drop a week -- or even a day -- before it goes on sale might give the iPad an incredible boost. The iPad has been gradually settling back to early after a less than stellar Steve Jobs introduction on Jan. 27. The truth is that, for many, a supersized iPod touch just isn't too terribly interesting. [4]

"While it remains to be seen how much traction the iPad gets initially, management noted that it will remain nimble (pricing could change if the company is not attracting as many customers as anticipated)," Shope wrote. [1]

The iPad will offer up to 64GB of capacity which, when paired with a 3G radio, will make the device cost $829 at its highest price. [3]