iPad Mini Launch Attracting Shorter Lines on Launch Day

[Karma*Police]

Originally Posted by Phil A.

I went to a local (non apple) store to see if they had any on display. They didn't" but had just had a second shipment in (having sold their first to people who had queued overnight), so I bought one.
I've only had it a few hours, but it is absolutely brilliant - it's unbelievably light and still feels really well built.
For me, the mini isn't just the best small tablet - it's the best tablet, period!

Congrats! Your comment sounds like some of the reviews I've read. I already have 3 tablets, including a 3rd gen iPad, so I'm in no rush to buy one, but I've already bought a few online as Xmas gifts. I plan on checking it out once things settle down in the NE, and if I can get past the non-retina, I'll probably pick one up. If not, I'll just wait for the next rev with retina.

[ilguano]

Originally Posted by SlCKB0Y

Mathematics fail.

Wrongly applied mathematics fail. If you apply a correct model which adapts to the phenomenon you are trying to reproduce or explain, they don't. Anyway, this discussion doesn't have nothing to do with that. Comparing iphone and ipad lines? Trying to get some sort of conclusion of it? "iPad sells less than iphone", I wouldn't venture far from that.

[malnar]

Can't speak for the stores' lines, but the local news isn't making anything of the iPad mini launch and they've had someone out at an Apple store for every single i-device launch. It wasn't even mentioned on the news this morning.

[Chrjy]

Originally Posted by malnar

Can't speak for the stores' lines, but the local news isn't making anything of the iPad mini launch and they've had someone out at an Apple store for every single i-device launch. It wasn't even mentioned on the news this morning.

Oh, well in that case.....

[frayne182]

Originally Posted by malnar

Can't speak for the stores' lines, but the local news isn't making anything of the iPad mini launch and they've had someone out at an Apple store for every single i-device launch. It wasn't even mentioned on the news this morning.

that is true. Usually some reporter is there. Don't know if that was the case here either. Not much buzz.

[Dorje Sylas]

Originally Posted by leon44

Hardly surprising given it's not really a flagship product, it's like queueing for the new iPod touch

Said almost 6 hours ago and still 100% spot on. The iPad Mini is to the iPad as the iPod is to the iPhone. Expect similar reactions from consumers.

[fertilized-egg]

Originally Posted by Dorje Sylas

Said almost 6 hours ago and still 100% spot on. The iPad Mini is to the iPad as the iPod is to the iPhone. Expect similar reactions from consumers.

I think it's more like iPod Mini/Nano to iPod. I believe eventually this will probably outsell the bigger iPad at least in quantity.

Originally Posted by MeFromHere

Everyone in front of me was a reseller. ...

I played this futile game on 2 different days, hoping to get an iPad to take with me on a business trip. When I realized it was hopeless, I gave up, ordered online, and got the iPad a month or so later. Back then, the iPad didn't launch in Asia until much later, and these organized resellers where presumably sending the iPads right back to China on the black market.

My local Apple store is sold out of all minis too. So much for easy availability. These are available in Asia and I thought that'd minimize the professional scalpers but I guess not.

[ncaissie]

Originally Posted by fpsBeaTt

Considering it crushes the Nexus 7 I owned.

Sure you did.

[hamkor04]

Originally Posted by Rogifan

Shorter lines compared to what? And who, besides media or stupid wall street analysts were expecting long lines at the stores? Why is this even a story?

did you know MR secretly called MacAd

[photographypro]

[QUOTE=lilo777;16207114]Is not it amazing how Samsung manages to sell twice more smart phones (and more mobile devices in total) than Apple without any lines?[COLOR="#808080"]

Yes, and Chevy sells more vehicles in the US than BMW. Which would you rather drive?



Do you own any Apple products? Why are you on this thread?

[questioner76]

I just checked it out at the Apple Store in Highland village here in Houston. They had the portable barricades piled up outside to prepare for a crowd but they weren't being used at all. They also only had the black ones in stock.

I have to say I was pretty impressed by the device. It's amazingly small, light, and well built. I have an iPad 1 and an iPad 3 and am seriously considering getting the mini because it's size is ideal. The screen does give me pause, however. I know it has a higher ppi than the iPad 2, but the resolution frankly seems identical to the 2.

[johndallas999]

Wow people are finally starting to learn that there are more important things in life than being the first to own the latest Apple products. Amazing!

[lilo777]

Originally Posted by Phil A.

I went to a local (non apple) store to see if they had any on display. They didn't" but had just had a second shipment in (having sold their first to people who had queued overnight), so I bought one.
I've only had it a few hours, but it is absolutely brilliant - it's unbelievably light and still feels really well built.
For me, the mini isn't just the best small tablet - it's the best tablet, period!

And now consider the fact that Android 7" tablets are just as light and small but have higher performance, better screens, more RAM, "more" GPS etc. Many people were saying for a long time on this forum that 7" tablets are great for certain things and many people claimed than anything below 10" is useless.

[Yojimbo007]

Comparing lines for ipad to lines for iphone is meaningless.

Compare lines to other ipad launches.

They sold out the mini in many stores in two hours

[Lancer]

Originally Posted by tatonka

It is a huge psychological difference. 249$ to 299$ feels less of a difference than 299$ to 329$ although it isn't. Even worse for the 199$ for a Kindle Fire or Nexus 7 compared to the 329$ of the mini .. that is a big difference.

I'd pay the extra if the drop test is any guide, the Nexus died, the Mini kept working, but with a cracked screen.

[Tech198]

Is this because it didn't have a Retina display?

Shoter lines = not a goid winner in my book.

This only proves Sydney users don't care that much for the mini, since it was the shorest. can you blame them? Everyone probably has the Retina anyway.

[xofruitcake]

Originally Posted by herbapou

Great post. Do you think Apple can beat last year EPS in Q1? If not it would be the first time the have yoy decline in more than 5 years.

Wish I know. It really depend on how many Iphone 5 Apple can ship in 4Q and the gross margin in 1Q2013. According to the 10K, Apple sold 125.0m unit of iphone (3GS, 4, 4S and 5) in fiscal 2102 (ending in 9/2012) and 72.29M unit in fiscal 2011 (ending in 9/2011). About 9M-10M unit of the 125.0 M iphone sold in fiscal 2012 is Iphone 5. The scuff gate really hurt Apple sales and gross margin this Q. It slow down the supply because Foxconn has to fight the quality control problem. It also increase the warranty expense (those scuffed Iphone need to be repair by someone and it will cost a lot of money) and distribution cost (instead of shipping Iphone by the boatload, now they have to fly out of China once they are done). And I think the worse case scenario is that it may stop casual buyer from buying i a q or two after they see all the scuffing in their friends Iphone.

Tim Cook pursue a fast roll out strategy (100 countries in 4Q) is a major gamble and it looks like it didn't pan out the way he wanted it.

My 2 cents is to watch the Iphone supply issue. If Foxconn can solve the quality problem soon, margin for Iphone 5 may have a shot of going up substantially in 1Q. If not I think we are going to be stuck with 36ish % gross margin for a while. And China Iphone 5 launch will be massive and can add into 10-12 m unit a quarter kind of sales rate. I am very bullish on Ipad mini. I thought it is a better tablet for most people. The lower price will help Apple sales in developing countries. I think it will sell more than anyone predict. But it won't contribute too much to Apple's bottom line given the low gross margin unless they sell a lot of the high end model.

At this point, I think anyone can make a bull case of Apple is a $800 to $900 stock or a $300 to $400 stock, it all depend on how consumer respond to Android and Window 8 competition.

[Stelv]

Originally Posted by lilo777

And now consider the fact that Android 7" tablets are just as light and small but have higher performance, better screens, more RAM, "more" GPS etc. Many people were saying for a long time on this forum that 7" tablets are great for certain things and many people claimed than anything below 10" is useless.

Android tablets do not have better performance. They have good hardware on paper but inherent lag. I've owned 6 android phones and three tablets in search of performance... Nothing is better than the performance of my iOS device. People need to realize that hardware doesn't matter with Android because the code is poorly written

[magicbrain]

apple michigan ave store in chicago told me they sold out by 10am of 16s and 11:30 of all models on friday.

i've heard from others that you can find them in best buy, sams, costco, wallmart, etc

i love my mini, but if you already have an ipad ... you'll be disappointed that it does all that your iphone
(yes, smaller, lighter ... better to read, hold in your hands, etc, etc)

[frayne182]

Was at a Futureshop tonight and someone asked to see one and they had a few in stock and went back to get one for him to see. They didn't have a demo.


They had a demo of the iPad 4 though.