18 (EIGHTEEN!) Models of iPad 2.

[canyonblue737]

It has been revealed that the iPad 2 with 3G does not have a user selectable choice between AT&T (GSM) and Verizon (CDMA) and that choice has to be made at purchase and has unique hardware for each.

Combine that with the choice of black and white iPad 2 models and you have what is a stunning to me choice by Apple to release 18 different iPad 2 models which must be a logistical nightmare to decide how many of each to make.

6 different Wi-Fi only models.
6 different AT&T GSM models.
6 different Verizon CDMA models.

Wow.

 

[3goldens]

and the point being?

 

[deeddawg]

Think the supply chain is tough, consider retailer stocking.

 

[tac22]

It just goes to show apple isn't afraid to make lots of different variations of a product that sells well.

So people who said they wouldn't make a separate Verizon iPhone because apple only wants to make one variation of a product are totally wrong.

 

[ditzy]

Sorry but your maths are wrong. There will be three different wifi models, three different At&t models, and three different Verizon models. That is nine different models, not eighteen.

 

[vincenz]

Sorry but your maths are wrong. There will be three different wifi models, three different At&t models, and three different Verizon models. That is nine different models, not eighteen.

You forgot that each model comes in 2 colors. 9 models x 2 colors = 18

 

[farmermac]

Sorry but your maths are wrong. There will be three different wifi models, three different At&t models, and three different Verizon models. That is nine different models, not eighteen.

You're forgetting the 2 colors

I'm curious as to how they'll stock this

2 different network options is a little puzzling if the CDMA chipset supports gsm.

 

[ditzy]

You forgot that each model comes in 2 colors. 9 models x 2 colors = 18

I stand completely corrected, I forgot about the white. I apologise to the OP.

 

[Blorzoga]

It has been revealed that the iPad 2 with 3G does not have a user selectable choice between AT&T (GSM) and Verizon (CDMA) and that choice has to be made at purchase and has unique hardware for each.

Combine that with the choice of black and white iPad 2 models and you have what is a stunning to me choice by Apple to release 18 different iPad 2 models which must be a logistical nightmare to decide how many of each to make.

6 different Wi-Fi only models.
6 different AT&T GSM models.
6 different Verizon CDMA models.

Wow.

Wow, this is simply earth shattering news.

 

[CrAkD]

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It is kind of crazy. Especially since apple isn't allowing preordering or reserve for in store pickup. Lot of disappointed customers waiting in line to find out their model out of 18 is sold out by the time they get to the front.

 

[canyonblue737]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

It is kind of crazy. Especially since apple isn't allowing preordering or reserve for in store pickup. Lot of disappointed customers waiting in line to find out their model out of 18 is sold out by the time they get to the front.

exactly. no doubt apple is better than anyone at predicting consumer wants, but how accurate can they really make the supply chain with 18 models? can they predict exactly what percentage of folks want a 32 GB, white, Verizon model vs. 16 gb wifi only black and on and on...

 

[rdowns]

I stand completely corrected, I forgot about the white. I apologise to the OP.

Truth in username?

 

[deeddawg]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

It is kind of crazy. Especially since apple isn't allowing preordering or reserve for in store pickup. Lot of disappointed customers waiting in line to find out their model out of 18 is sold out by the time they get to the front.

Smart money would be Apple skews production towards the 32G models so when they run out of 16GB stock it's an easy upsell to the person who has been waiting in line for hours.

I don't imagine many of the folks who go stand in line for hours are going to walk away when their preferred configuration is out of stock instead of kicking in an extra $100 to go to a higher spec level. Rational thought tends to take a backseat in that sort of atmosphere.

 

[rdowns]

exactly. no doubt apple is better than anyone at predicting consumer wants, but how accurate can they really make the supply chain with 18 models? can they predict exactly what percentage of folks want a 32 GB, white, Verizon model vs. 16 gb wifi only black and on and on...

Apple has a year of data on who buys what iPad. They have a few years of data of white vs. black iPhones. I'm sure they have talked to carriers and retailers about how many they would order. It's not like they order a build completely blind.

 

[mullman]

I don't imagine many of the folks who go stand in line for hours are going to walk away when their preferred configuration is out of stock instead of kicking in an extra $100 to go to a higher spec level. Rational thought tends to take a backseat in that sort of atmosphere.

LoL, the REAL Reality Distortion Field.

 

[vincebio]

awesome truly awesome news....

im going to sue you for wasting 7.1 seconds of my life to read that however..

in other news, microsoft is considering releasing over 250 version of windows 8...

 

[DoFoT9]

I stand completely corrected, I forgot about the white. I apologise to the OP.

well the white is really only a cosmetic change, not a "internal components" change - so i think you would be more correct.

 

[canyonblue737]

well the white is really only a cosmetic change, not a "internal components" change - so i think you would be more correct.

Nope, your wrong. The point is Apple is going to have to stock 18 different boxes of iPad, there won't be Apple geniuses at the store changing a black to white for you when the whites are sold out.

 

[urkel]

and the point being?

C'mon, thats interesting. Apple is known for their skills at logistics and keeping inventory at just the right amount, and part of that is because they don't offer much variety.

So 18 models is quite a big juggle for them and Best Buy. These arent multi-colored iPod shuffles where you can fit the entire inventory in a shoebox. These are big boxes with an unproven history since Verizon has yet to show where exactly they stand in the eyes of the paying consumer.

 

[MikeyTree]

Do we know for a fact that there are actually different models for GSM and CDMA? The Verison iPhone 4 uses a chip that supports both GSM and CDMA*, and I could see Apple creating a single dual-band 3d architecture that can be used for either. That would make manufacturing and stocking much simpler.



* The Verison iPhone can't work on AT&T because it lacks a Sim card slot. It's also unclear if the new antenna band design was done because of CDMA or as a fix for the "death grip" potential problem.

 

[darngooddesign]

exactly. no doubt apple is better than anyone at predicting consumer wants, but how accurate can they really make the supply chain with 18 models? can they predict exactly what percentage of folks want a 32 GB, white, Verizon model vs. 16 gb wifi only black and on and on...

They already have a year's research into which capacities people buy and whether they choose the 3G model.

 

[125037]

You forgot that each model comes in 2 colors. 9 models x 2 colors = 18

I think the OP forgot as well and but by chance was correct because of the colors.

 

[btbrossard]

I think the OP forgot as well and but by chance was correct because of the colors.

Except the as yet unedited post has the following:

"Combine that with the choice of black and white iPad 2 models"

 

[trssho]

It has been revealed that the iPad 2 with 3G does not have a user selectable choice between AT&T (GSM) and Verizon (CDMA) and that choice has to be made at purchase and has unique hardware for each.

Combine that with the choice of black and white iPad 2 models and you have what is a stunning to me choice by Apple to release 18 different iPad 2 models which must be a logistical nightmare to decide how many of each to make.

6 different Wi-Fi only models.
6 different AT&T GSM models.
6 different Verizon CDMA models.

Wow.

Somehow, I think the Apple bean counters are in tune with demand requirement, and will figure out how many of each to make.

 

[125037]

Except the as yet unedited post has the following:

"Combine that with the choice of black and white iPad 2 models"

Touché.