Slight iPad Shipping Delay Due to Software, Not Hardware?

[MacRumors]

Daring Fireball's John Gruber claims to have heard from his sources that the slight shipping delay (about a week in the U.S. and on the order of a month in the first batch of international markets) for the Wi-Fi iPad is due not to hardware production issues but to Apple putting the final touches on the software for the device.

It was the software, not the hardware, that took a week or two longer to finish than they'd hoped. Nothing extraordinary or unusual, just the usual hard-to-predict timing of turning software that's almost ready to ship into software that's ready to ship. In the grand history of major OS release date slips, one week is pretty tame.

A report early this week indicated that a "manufacturing bottleneck" would be responsible for limited iPad quantities at launch and possibly a delay of the entire launch. Another analyst claim yesterday offered similar information, but noted that the issues were not related to "glass or manufacturing process". If Gruber's sources are correct and the delays were simply due to software, Apple should be able to quickly deploy the final software version to units in production and rapidly fill its sales channels for launch.

Article Link: Slight iPad Shipping Delay Due to Software, Not Hardware?

 

[alent1234]

BS

best way to build up hype is to have a "shortage". suddenly people that didn't want one, decide they want one.

i bid on some real estate two months ago and same story. place is on sale for months and no one wants it. as soon as my wife and I bid, someone else decided they wanted it as well

 

[Saladinos]

Not surprised. The iPad simulator still instantly crashes one of my apps. iPhone simulator runs it fine (really well, even).

 

[leandromp]

i hope it comes with the 4.00 iphoe OS, but i doubt it.

 

[ericinboston]

Exactly...software delays...I am 100% sure that Apple has been working 24x7 since the iFad announcement to stuff more features/bells and whistles/stability/ease of use into the iFad.

Apple wants to release the iFad by April before more and more companies jump on the netbook/tablet/e-reader bandwagon and steal the thunder and/or develop relationships with media providers.

If Apple wasn't able to release the iFad till Sep or later, it would very likely have been too little, too late. I think the iFad was 80% baked when it was showcased...which is fine...many product announcements physically showcasing are 80% baked.

-Eric

 

[SchneiderMan]

Yey less defects

 

[dguisinger]

Exactly...software delays...I am 100% sure that Apple has been working 24x7 since the iFad announcement to stuff more features/bells and whistles/stability/ease of use into the iFad.

Apple wants to release the iFad by April before more and more companies jump on the netbook/tablet/e-reader bandwagon and steal the thunder and/or develop relationships with media providers.

If Apple wasn't able to release the iFad till Sep or later, it would very likely have been too little, too late. I think the iFad was 80% baked when it was showcased...which is fine...many product announcements physically showcasing are 80% baked.

-Eric

Someone needs to grow up and gain a bit of maturity.

 

[decson]

Delay of a week for states but as month for other countries

The apple site until an hour or so after the press release stated WIFI model late March here in UK and quite a few other countries. With 3g model late April.

 

[dguisinger]

BS

best way to build up hype is to have a "shortage". suddenly people that didn't want one, decide they want one.

i bid on some real estate two months ago and same story. place is on sale for months and no one wants it. as soon as my wife and I bid, someone else decided they wanted it as well

Yes, I'm sure its all hype... because we all remember how bug free all the reviewers said it was when they got their demonstration...... oh wait, lots of stuff didn't work correctly? Huh, I'm sure you are right, its all about generating hype and not making the product work

 

[cvaldes]

This makes no sense.

The iPad has presumably been in a manufacturing ramp for a month. That means there are shipping containers full of built iPads. You can't change the software at this point. Or more exactly, a software change at this point would not affect the units already assembled.

The most plausible explanations are that they are A.) working on an immediate download to be released when the device starts shipping and/or B.) Apple's iTunes Store servers aren't ready to deliver the new content.

If they're saying that iPhone OS 3.2 for iPad was RTM-ed a week late, yeah, that's plausible although it's curious that we're learning about this so late in the game.

 

[Friscohoya]

I hope that this thing aint buggy. Hope that extra week was the spit shine and not the duck tape job.

 

[gibbz]

i hope it comes with the 4.00 iphoe OS, but i doubt it.

I bet that won't be out until June (or whenever the next iPhone is released)

 

[bigjohn]

Hopefully they were adding wireless printing without the need for a separate app

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Hmm... I think I may have stumbled onto the truth this morning

I'm thinking they are still refining iBooks.

 

[wilhoitm]

The camera code...

It took them 2 weeks to yank out the camera code! /s

Marcus

 

[Small White Car]

This makes no sense.

The iPad has presumably been in a manufacturing ramp for a month. That means there are shipping containers full of built iPads. You can't change the software at this point.

Ok, we have these things called the present, future, and past.

When you read about something, it's possible that it took place in the past.

So when you hear about a software problem, it's certainly possible that the problem was worked on a month ago even though you're just hearing about it now. Not everything that's been written about is happening right this very second.

 

[diabolic]

If they're saying that iPhone OS 3.2 for iPad was RTM-ed a week late, yeah, that's plausible although it's curious that we're learning about this so late in the game.

That is what they're saying.

It's probably also the real source of the rumors over the past couple of weeks of a possible delay.

 

[cvaldes]

Ok, we have these things called the present, future, and past.

When you read about something, it's possible that it took place in the past.

So when you hear about a software problem, it's certainly possible that the problem was worked on a month ago even though you're just hearing about it now. Not everything that's been written about is happening right this very second.

I like how you deleted the second half of my post, taking this out of context.

Bravo!

 

[Small White Car]

I like how you deleted the second half of my post, taking this out of context.

Bravo!

You wrote a post that basically said:

This makes no sense.
(Unless everything I just wrote is wrong.)

I pointed out that your post doesn't make any sense. I don't see how quoting the (unless everything I just wrote is wrong) part really changes anything. That's 'context?'

 

[kernkraft]

Poor iPhone OS cannot believe that there will be no camera!

Not surprised. The iPad simulator still instantly crashes one of my apps. iPhone simulator runs it fine (really well, even).

My iPad simulator says 'No'.

I just saw the comments on The Times' website. There is a lot of hostility towards this thing. People find it under-specced and overpriced.

 

[cecoleman]

I wonder how long it will take for the software update 3.2 for the iPhone to come out. Will it be launched the same day for iPHone users? Will will finally be able to change the background on our iPhone in smilier fashion to the iPad?

 

[R3tard]

Doesn't Work On Me

BS

best way to build up hype is to have a "shortage". suddenly people that didn't want one, decide they want one.

i bid on some real estate two months ago and same story. place is on sale for months and no one wants it. as soon as my wife and I bid, someone else decided they wanted it as well

It works the opposite for me. This has actually happened and I've learned my lessons on the shortages. If I hear there may be too few, I don't risk it.

Why wait in line for hours only to be told there aren't any left? Then I drive to another store and they are all out too?

Why pre-order and wait until days or weeks after release date because of a "shortage"?

So, I wait and see. By that time, my friends have their iPad and the novelty and impulse buy has worn off and I think, "maybe I can wait until generation two comes out."

I think the "shortage" rumors are a bad thing.

 

[admanimal]

There is a lot of hostility towards this thing. People find it under-specced and overpriced.

Wow what a shocker; people are complaining in comments on a web site that an Apple product is under-specced and overpriced. The iPad is sure to be a failure now.

 

[diabolic]

I think the "shortage" rumors are a bad thing.

Most good companies realize that if they don't have a product for you when you want one, you might not ever buy it. Companies don't create artificial shortages if they actually want to sell a product.

Wow what a shocker; people are complaining in comments on a web site that an Apple product is under-specced and overpriced. The iPad is sure to be a failure now.

That's the normal reaction, isn't it? Then droves of people keep buying them for some reason.

 

[*LTD*]

Poor iPhone OS cannot believe that there will be no camera!




My iPad simulator says 'No'.

I just saw the comments on The Times' website. There is a lot of hostility towards this thing. People find it under-specced and overpriced.

What hostility? From the Geek Squad on tech forums?? LOL, what did you expect? They make getting it wrong into a sport.