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Apr 12, 2001
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Launch day at Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan (Source: BGR)

Fortune provides a nice summary of feedback from research analysts regarding the iPad 2 launch weekend in the United States, with the analysts weighing in with sales estimates ranging from 500,000 up to one million units. Most analysts were cautious, fearing perhaps that whatever they wrote would soon be overtaken by an Apple (AAPL) press release. Most, like Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster, stuck with 500,000 units. But Baird's William Power estimated that Apple sold "roughly 1 million" the first weekend, Wedbush's Scott Sutherland "wouldn't be surprised" by that number and Global Equities Trip Chowdhry thought Apple "may have sold" three times as many iPad 2s as iPad 1s its first weekend, which amounts to the same thing.Launch supplies of the iPad 2 were obviously concentrated at Apple's own retail stores, where the longest lines were also seen. Headcounts at Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan ranged from 1,200 to as high as 3,000 customers. Meanwhile, third-party retailers such as Best Buy with smaller stocks typically saw units sell out in just a matter of minutes at their stores.

For its part, Apple has yet to announce specific iPad 2 sales figures, although a spokesperson did issue a statement to The Loop calling demand "amazing"."Demand for the next generation iPad 2 has been amazing," Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller, told The Loop. "We are working hard to get iPad 2 into the hands of every customer who wants one as quickly as possible."Apple should be restocking iPad 2 units at its retail stores on a nearly-daily basis, but the timing of those shipments is unknown and potential customers may find lines as other shoppers seek to bypass the 3-4 week wait now in place for new online orders.

Article Link: 'Amazing' Demand May Have Fueled Sales of Up to 1 Million iPad 2s
 
Nice to see the decade of the tablet moving along nicely.

So, Samsung, would you say the iPad 2 sales were smooth?
 
So does this mean we were all correct: a lot of potential buyers were waiting for a Version 2 with cameras and more memory?

That was part of the demand, yes. An easy prediction to make since there are always a group that wait for version 2 of any new device.

Another group easily predicted and seen with iPad 2 sales: early adopters who buy each new version as they come along.

But another group making up the iPad 2 sales surge are those folks who don't follow the tech world that much, hadn't bought any tablets yet, but sure kept hearing about that iPad thing. Maybe they saw the Motorola Super Bowl commercial, thought it was another iPad ad, and that added to their awareness. So when the iPad 2 gets announced, they think, boy, all my friends are getting these things, guess I will too.

The market for tablet computers is vast and growing. Apple has room to expand the market exponentially over the next few years.
 
Problem is that a majority of the sales went to resellers and not actual customers wanting them. When I waited in line on Friday I was surrounded by resellers ready to price gouge. Apple should find a way to prevent this as many real customers are left high and dry because of it. :mad:
I got mine, but I know of several that didn't because of supplies being depleted by resellers. One word... Lame.:(
 
IT DOESNT HAVE A RETINA SCREEN!!!! WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH

Wow at the sales.

It makes sense. By the time people viewed the tablet as a viable device, a lot of them decided to just wait for the iPad 2 like myself.
 
I would also have to agree with others that the iPad 2 does deserve this success, and for being a luxury item that needs a computer to function (not a replacement), the demand is simply amazing, or any adjective that could describe this. A lot on the forums were not impressed with the revisions Apple made to the first gen, and that's fair, but honestly, having upgraded from the first gen, this thing is a few steps ahead, and then some by far.
 
I'm a little surprised at these estimates. I didn't think the demand for this one would be so great, given that the improvements over the first generation were good, but nothing that screamed "must have". Apple's roll continues.
 
I'm a little surprised at these estimates. I didn't think the demand for this one would be so great, given that the improvements over the first generation were good, but nothing that screamed "must have". Apple's roll continues.

I think a majority of these buyers are people like me that didn't get the 1st gen iPad, saw how neat it looked/saw potential for it/just wanted a shiny new toy to play with, and simply waited for the next gen to come out and buy it.
 
No stock anywhere

Couldn't get to the store on Friday by 5pm because my wife "forgot" to return the car until almost 6pm. And she wasn't answering her iPhone plastered to the bottom of her purse. Her car went into the garage on Friday morning so definitely am feeling like this wasn't meant to be....

Got about 48 hours of travelling on an airplane starting next week so really wanted the iPad before I left. Given the nonexistent stock at Target, Walmart, Best Buy and Apple Store since about 6pm on Friday (no evidence any of these stores in my area got any more shipments; if anything, it is clear none of them have seen a shipment), it doesn't look good.

This is Monday and so far all phone calls reveal a big fizzle. Looking again tomorrow though Walmart is saying 2 weeks now. Um, no thanks. Hard to restock if they aren't getting ANY shipments since the first small shipment on Friday.

If I can't get the iPad 2 before my long trip, I pretty much don't care when I get it. A month? Eh, who cares...just want it for the trip. Otherwise, really no rush and I might as well price shop like I do everything else.
 
So does this mean we were all correct: a lot of potential buyers were waiting for a Version 2 with cameras and more memory?

Cameras, maybe but I doubt it.

As for memory, I'd bet 95% of iPad owners don't know how much RAM is in the unit. Why would they as Apple doesn't publish that spec?
 
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