New iMac and iPad Mini to Be in Short Supply Until 2013

Sincerium · Nov 28, 2012

Feels like such a waste....

... I don't get the logic behind this at all.

Perhaps some of you out there can explain it to me.

Apple developed these "great" products that many of us have been pining for, for months now. But then, by the time they are available on the market they are several months, perhaps even half a year old already, which is considerable in the total lifespan of a computer as well as a tablet.

Their product life cycles are different but the question, I think, is valid for them both; why develop products that can not be manufactured (fast enough)?

We loose out because we have to buy old technology.
Apple loose out because they can't sell it.

Who's the winner here?

linuxcooldude · Nov 28, 2012

CGagnon said:
fail. What exactly is outdated about the internals? You are a joke.

Simply repeating, what hes heard elsewhere, not really knowing what it means.

ctdonath · Nov 28, 2012

yocko said:
Haters; get a vaio. In stock everywhere

I had two. Innovative, but cut the wrong corners too much. Gave up on Sony; ex-fanboi.

thedeejay · Nov 28, 2012

Sincerium said:
... I don't get the logic behind this at all.

Perhaps some of you out there can explain it to me.

Apple developed these "great" products that many of us have been pining for, for months now. But then, by the time they are available on the market they are several months, perhaps even half a year old already, which is considerable in the total lifespan of a computer as well as a tablet.

Their product life cycles are different but the question, I think, is valid for them both; why develop products that can not be manufactured (fast enough)?

You can never predict demand I guess. No one's ever sure what sales are like. I mean if they're expecting to sell 5 mill then they get ready for 5 mill and sell less its their loss. Well just my guess, not sure if it's true or not.

cuencap · Nov 28, 2012

maxira said:
I hope it is not so! it is strange that this news comes out after announcing, finally, the iMac and their expedition, perhaps this to cover them in the event of long delays for shipments! when the costs are so high, patience and technology do not get along.
I'm an Apple user for many years

Since when do macrumors articles about delays count as news? This entire article is a rumor...

jsolares · Nov 28, 2012

For all blaming Samsung vs Apple as the culprit behind this, you should remember that no 27" panel has ever come from Samsung, they've all been LG. samsung has just now begun producing 27" panels but they're PLS and not IPS

Rogifan · Nov 28, 2012

cuencap said:
Since when do macrumors articles about delays count as news? This entire article is a rumor...

People believe anything they read these days it seems. Even though so much of what comes out is conflicting. One day we get "news" that some analysis says iPad accounted for 88% of mobile browsing traffic over the Thanksgiving holiday, the next day is "news" that another analysis says iPad market share is dropping and Android is gaining. The only thing believable are hard, cold sales figures.

iSayuSay · Nov 28, 2012

21.5" iMac [Coming in November] .. and it actually happens on a frickin NOVEMBER THIRTIETH? Really?

By that logic then the 27" inchers should start selling on December 31st. I'd rather celebrate new year's eve with my girl and families. Thank you.

So in reality a 27" 2012 iMac is not actually for sale in 2012. Not to mention Haswell is looming on the horizon few months later. Sigh...

george-brooks · Nov 28, 2012

I went to the 5th avenue store in NYC at MIDNIGHT(!!!) a couple days ago and they had 32GB black iPad minis in stock, wifi only and AT&T. So I got one.

Granted flagship stores probably have more stock, but they also have a lot more customers. I was surprised that thy were not sold out, especially so late in the day.

ctdonath · Nov 28, 2012

Sincerium said:
why develop products that can not be manufactured (fast enough)?

They thought they could, were assured they could, had to take calculated risks, the risk went bad, the finely-tuned well-lubricated supply chain seized up. Newer technologies entail greater risk; laminating two-foot screens according to high standards and high volume is hard. Legal wrangling can piss off your friends; a high-stakes near-unavoidable lawsuit wrecked the relationship with the best screen laminator and manufacturer of other key components. Both issues are understandable real-world risks; $#!^ happens.

Products with greater confidence in volume & availability would require lower standards of older technology, poorer quality, and higher product failure rates. Doing so also makes it easier for others to do the same, increasing direct competition.

Apple thrives on high-volume innovative products featuring nuanced levels of quality. Doing so is very hard, and one screwup can cause far-reaching consequences. If you're looking for "good enough" with similar specs, lower prices, and higher availability, plenty of other manufacturers can overnight something to you now. If you're looking for the "diminishing returns" part of the quality graph, sometimes you'll have to wait a bit while they work out some unexpected complexity.

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iSayuSay said:
21.5" iMac [Coming in November] .. and it actually happens on a frickin NOVEMBER THIRTIETH? Really?

Really.

iPad 1 3G was promised in April. Showed up April 30. At 5:00 PM.

Not the first time, won't be the last.

ifij775 · Nov 28, 2012

Meh

Currently, there is a 2 week wait for an iPad Mini, that doesn't seem bad.

Lazrhog · Nov 28, 2012

This will be my first iMac. I couldn't be more excited

chirpie · Nov 28, 2012

Reason077 said:
This is the most ridiculously long drawn out Mac product launch in years. Apple are usually pretty good at shipping products soon after announcement, but this iMac launch is ridiculous. Borderline vaporware.

Final Cut Pro X and the next Mac Pro might have something to say about that.

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Sincerium said:
Apple loose out because they can't sell it.

I partly agreed until I read this part. Plainly put, we're our own worst enemies in this regard.

"But...it's not the newest GPU! Well... I guess it's designed well... it works well in practical use... it has better resell value... ... ... Crap. Here I go again. <Pulls lever>

hayesk · Nov 28, 2012

mohsy90 said:
Looks like a grim transition for Apple. Samsung panels outcompete any other brand and from the looks of it, it's clearly evident that other suppliers can't handle the demand nor the yield percentages that Samsung was able to. Oh, and the quality.

Other suppliers will ramp up. It takes time.

As for quality, are you referring to the level of quality that caused gray splotches to appear on my Samsung TV after it went out of warranty? The same splotches that I saw in a sports bar on five of their Samsung TVs?

It wasn't even screen burn-in, it's randomly shaped gray splotches.

Quality, indeed.

mbh · Nov 28, 2012

iSayuSay said:
By that logic then the 27" inchers should start selling on December 31st. I'd rather celebrate new year's eve with my girl and families. Thank you.

Request denied. If Apple releases the 27 inch iMac on December 31st, you are required to stand in line all day and night until you purchase one.

TomD1 · Nov 28, 2012

Does anyone know when the iMac reviews will be released?

bigcat318 · Nov 28, 2012

I'm more worried about potential problems (with screen or otherwise) than I am about when it gets delivered. I'm fine with being patient as long as I'm not dealing with issues later.

charlituna · Nov 28, 2012

MacRumors said:
[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]

Image
DigiTimes reports that shipments of both the iPad mini and iMac are expected to be constrained throughout 2012. In both cases, display production appears to be the limiting factor.

And Digitimes is correct, given they are parroting a fact Tim Cook was up front about when they were announced

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zombierunner said:
This is really Appalling. You have to pay through your nose and wait for ages to get hold of a product with inferior and outdated internals.

No you don't. No one has a gun to your head to buy this 'garbage' so don't

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madrag said:
Patience has a limit.

I have been waiting for the iMac since December 2011.

Why? They were in stock. If you needed one you could buy it. If you choose to wit that's on you. Apple never promised you a timetable.
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Releasing in the last day of November (still to be seen, in my opinion) is still November, but looks more like one of those lawyer things where technicalities are all that matters.

In this case, the release date is supposed to be meant for the customers, not for someone tracking the calendar. November in my head meant start of, or middle of, not the last day

What it means to you is moot. They said November, not the start and not the middle. They have done what they said.

tkwolf · Nov 28, 2012

SteveSparks said:
That is exactly what is happening. Apple is in the process of changing suppliers for all LCD panels. These issues had been resolved previously with Samsung but since they are divesting all business with Samsung they have to work with new suppliers to ramp up to meet needs.

Apple attempted to settle all the issue with Samsung so they could remain partners but that is not going to be possible since Samsung won't agree to a settlement, even when using binding arbitration.

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This is Tim changing suppliers. It would be worse if he was not a guru..

Apple's getting the b!tchslap back. They angered samsung to begin with right with all the patent lawsuits?

charlituna · Nov 28, 2012

NMSUballa said:
I think it is a double edged sword for Apple. If they wait for supply to pick up before going on sale then people will get mad since they have been waiting for a new iMac for awhile. .

Not as many people as up might think. The vast majority buy when they need a new computer from what is on sale right then. They don't read blogs or obsess about refresh cycles etc.

It's really only the geeks that freak and wait and then complain that it is a baby update or a change is pointless, or not enough etc

k995 · Nov 28, 2012

CGagnon said:
fail. What exactly is outdated about the internals? You are a joke.

5400k HDD certyainly

nvidia 600 series also by the time it actually get in quanity out 03/2012 the 700series will be there . For th CPU the same it succesor is almost ready and there .

Dont know why it took apple a year to implement this, altough seeing the form the whole form over function probably got once more in the way and delayed everything.

harryhood · Nov 28, 2012

Think these'll be up at midnight on the 30th for pre-order?

Reason077 · Nov 28, 2012

chirpie said:
Final Cut Pro X and the next Mac Pro might have something to say about that.

There's a big difference between rumours and official announcements. Apple certainly haven't announced the next Mac Pro. Hopefully they won't do so until it's actually ready to ship. If it's shipping on the last day of November it should have been announced in November, not in mid-October!

MBrandonLee · Nov 28, 2012

Maybe they should call Samsung =P

charlituna · Nov 28, 2012

Reason077 said:
This is the most ridiculously long drawn out Mac product launch in years. Apple are usually pretty good at shipping products soon after announcement, but this iMac launch is ridiculous. Borderline vaporware.

.

Nice attempt at hyperbolic FUD. It's been what six weeks. That's really no time at all. Not when they didn't promise it would be the first of November.

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RichardI said:
Go ahead. Convince me that Apple didn't know this beforehand. Go ahead.

They did and openly said so.

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The Bulge said:
Chances are they are going to update this upcoming iMac in 2013. So what? I don't know anything about Mac Pro, but i doubt it's coming in december 2013, i think Q1 2013. Q4 would be insane.

FYI.Apple runs on a fiscal year. Right now is Q1 2013. Q4 would be in the summer

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