Apple Reaches iPad Milestone: One Million Sold

[firewood]

How many iPad sales are to developers?

I purchased one for app development. But the wife has been using it far more than I do. She wants to keep it, and have the company buy yet another one for development.

She showed it to some of her family, and now they're calling me asking which model I recommend for them to buy.

I imagine that that's what's happening to a lot of units sold to developers.

 

[till]

At least it wasn't the usual "magical and revolutionary" ad copy.

Actually, I'm kinda on board for "revolutionary". The iPad has already changed a lot, and it's just the beginning. But "magical" is silly meaningless fluff that's getting more than a little annoying.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

How to get up to $900 out of people pockets?

Sell them enlarged iPhone that can't make calls!!!

Magical device indeed!

Hahahahaha

Don't be a hater.

Some of us were lucky enough on iPhone launch weekend to score one and never looked back.

It was hard for me to cough up $830 for my iPad 3G 64GB - but if it can hold out as long as my iPhone 1G (close to three years now) has - that amounts to 75 cents a day of use - regardless of any paid content.

 

[firewood]

Windows tablets?

So Ballmer asks for the number of Windows 7 tablets sold in the last 30 days so he can get his name in a competing press release.

Messenger shows up with the number and has a chair thrown at him.

 

[smiddlehurst]

At least it wasn't the usual "magical and revolutionary" ad copy.

Actually, I'm kinda on board for "revolutionary". The iPad has already changed a lot, and it's just the beginning. But "magical" is silly meaningless fluff that's getting more than a little annoying.

Okay, I know in advance I'm going to be flamed to a crispy finish for saying this but... magical might actually be a pretty accurate way of describing the iPad for some users. Before you grab the flamethrower let me explain:

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic

The above Arthur C Clarke quote has often been used to get authors out of particularly sticky situations without resorting to technobable but it's also an interesting insight into the current world of computing. Show someone from... oh... 1980 a modern Macbook Pro and they'd not believe what it could do. Think about it for a second: a device with a screen less than an inch think that can play video files in quality better than the best movie theater of the day with sound seemingly out of nowhere streamed from a device on the other side of the planet and all without wires. It'd be witchcraft to them and the only reason us tech geeks don't see it as such is we've grown up with it, we saw that evolution (or just accepted it as default if you're young enough) and are comfortable with both technology and the actions need to work with it.

Now take a normal non-tech person today. They use computers but they don't really understand them. Heck, my dad uses one every day for work but as soon as he gets away from the instructions he's lost. My mother-in-law wants to learn 'em but can't get past the abstraction layer of mouse input and the mess of single, double and right click interactions. It's not just older people either, I've had to help uni students through exactly the same issues.

What if you could wrap up all the really cool stuff you can do with computers (web, e-mail, games, photos, video etc etc etc) and put it in a device and form factor that was both intuitive AND removed almost all of the maintenance tasks a regular computer would need? For those who currently struggle to get along with 'traditional' desktop computers... wouldn't that seem like magic to them?

Just a thought of course...

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Real test? Geesh. Some people are never impressed.
The device has only been out a month... in one country.
Next it goes global. Then they drop v2. And then...

iPad has passed (and Apple continues passing) the test.

Amen there... but being a iPhone 1G user I will live with this iPad for the next two or three years.

There are not many companies that can boast one million sales of anything in that short a period, couple that with the economy, the price of the unit and it makes the sales numbers even more remarkable...

It all boils down, on my opinion to the time and effort Apple puts into the design of their products. My grandfather, bless his his soul, was a rather famous retail merchant at one time, who used to love say "good design is good business". This always always worked for him and it certainly works for Mr. Jobs.

Even more so in this economy. Things are getting better if one is to believe the the news and the numbers.

For myself I am afraid of what Steve Job's has up his sleeve - given his comments recently about new and exciting products coming out for the rest of the year.

I know I am waiting for the release of the iPhone 4G - my iPhone 1G is showing battle scars (LCD discoloration on one side, some sort of screen etching, and a cracked edge {had that from week 2 due to a bad case design }.

Bless your Grandfather Steve Jobs might be channeling him in some ways. For the most part Apple has shown us how we might not have been able do without since the intro of the iPod.... and they continue to surprise us. Never mind us Apple faithful - we are a small part of the market.

Jobs and his team have really shown with the iPod, iPhone, and now with the iPad that as you said "good design is good business".

 

[rstansby]

After the Courier fiasco, Ballmer is going back to catering office bloatware to corporate suits.

There I fixed your post

 

[RebootD]

I'm actually surprised it sold so well but then again not so surprised. It really is perfect for kids, parents and grandparents who do nothing but surf the web and check Facebook.

I'm going to wait for the next one (or third) when they implement usb, sd slots and a much larger storage capacity personally.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

I think one of the main things it proves is:
1. Desire for new shiny things
2. Increase in disposable income

Sure, I can come up with some uses for an iPad, and it's a nice looking device, and, at least in the US, the pricepoint compared to the average income is very low - so people are talking about outfitting their whole family with one.

But honestly, there is really not much of a case for it being a 'must have' product.

It sells well because it's Apple and it has the huge Appstore behind it. It's not really revolutionary nor magical - it's a fairly obvious concept - there are just few (any?) other companies with the 'cachet' that could bring it to fruition.

In my opinion the iPhone was much more of a revolution, combined with the Appstore as a single point content delivery system.

Working in the retail sector I can say that people don't give up on their hard earned $ easily - even with the slight up turn. When they do spend disposable income it is on things that adds some sort of value to their life. And I agree with you that the iPad is not a "must have" - but nice to have around in the end. I really see this as the net appliance that we have been waiting for.

I also agree that the iPhone thru iTunes was a revolution. But so is the iPad with Apps like Alice and Elements. The best is yet to come IMHO.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Thanks a lot for this article, it is full of the same arguments we heard when the iPhone launched "The hardware is inferior" "Other manufactures have all those big projects in the pipeline" "People want very complex computers because people are all tech-freaks!".

If I want to cheer up these days, I watch Balmers comment on the iPhone just after its announcement, how he laughs off the very product that kicked the Smartphones to the mass market (suddenly I was not longer looked down on for having such a HUGE PDA or mobile phone )

They just don't get it. Now when they failed to predict the devices' success at launch they will herald a new "iPad-Killer" each week just to see it being thrown on the pile of all that came before...

It's sad isn't it. I think the fundamental problem is that here tech-freaks write for other tech-freaks, they just don't understand that not all people think about technology every day. They just want something that works and which is not a hassle and not in the need to call the family computer experts for help all the time.

I am our families computer expert guy and I tell you, I am so fed up with PC problems...and don't get me started on ugly plastic PC laptops with tiny touchpads.

"BUT THEY HAVE i10 4000 THz Processor, 1000 TB Harddrive and FULL HD EXTRA RESOLUTION" it shouts from the background.

They just don't get it...

Makes me wonder after all these years we don't have an iPod killer

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

LMFAO

Had good laugh at the one as well.

 

[broken-chaos]

Please remember, the iPad is not powered by magic. Calling it a magical device is nothing short of false marketing. Were it actually powered by some mystical energy field that permeates the world (as opposed to just the sales of it being powered by a mystical energy field that permeates Steve Jobs), I would be more interested in what sort of dark pact they made to be able to utilise this energy. Moving more world electricity production from carbon-spewing to hellspawn-spewing would probably be an improvement, after all.

I've maintained throughout the entire time since the announce of it that I have no way of predicting 'success' of sales, but that I still can't see why people 'need' one, aside from Steve Jobs telling them it's more amazing than the reality distortion field he uses to make you want one. This 'success' is also setting Apple up for more antitrust investigations than the one they're just starting to be targeted with. The developer lock-in (and consumer lock-in) on these devices is going to ruffle some feathers, given the lack of any competition (which is a monopoly, with Apple anti-competitively trying to force developers to use Apple's computers and tools with that monopoly -- also forcing consumers to use iTunes, since Microsoft has proven that a product being free doesn't mean its okay to push it with a monopoly).

It's also leading to more and more obvious neglect of OSX and Macs. I've already decided that my next laptop will be running Linux (probably Gentoo), and will likely be an X-series Lenovo (both due to this neglect, and due to severe discomfort with Apple's recent evil moves). *shrug* I've switched operating systems several times before, this'll be just another in a long line. I've been careful to not lock myself into any particular corporation's products, after all, unlike some people.

 

[gwangung]

I've maintained throughout the entire time since the announce of it that I have no way of predicting 'success' of sales, but that I still can't see why people 'need' one

Yes, these two are connected. I still can't see why someone who can't escape their own perceptual limitations continue to comment.

 

[RebootD]

I've maintained throughout the entire time since the announce of it that I have no way of predicting 'success' of sales, but that I still can't see why people 'need' one

Technically we don't 'need' anything but food, water and shelter. Everything else in life is a luxury. And I guess that makes the iPad a luxury of a luxury?

 

[FlashHead]

This news makes Chitika Labs iPad stats way off. Unless Apple sold 800,000 since Friday.

Actually, Chitka's number was about 1,150,000 before the iPads started being delivered on the morning of the 30th. Chitka may not be accurate, or Apple could be lowballing to be able to release an even greater number later if sales slow down.

 

[shervieux]

How long did they take to get more wi-fi ipad's to the apple stores? do you remember?

They will not comment on shipping / delivery dates nor how many they get, nor how many each store is allocated.

I am just hoping that if they ramp up production and get these out faster, that quality control does not begin to suffer. My wife won't let me get one now (long argument). She keeps telling me I need to wait. I am afraid if I wait, I may get a bad one due to poor quality control and pushing these out faster.

I really need this device now.

 

[cryingrobot]

First of all, we are seeing the evolution of GUI into an app based closed system. There is no denying the user experience is very very different and IMO much better. Its a more advanced, more efficient and mature way to use a computer. I am going to come right out and say that any OS maker that does not follow suit (including MS) is going to become extinct very quickly. Windows 7 will be the last of its kind and the next iteration from MS is going to look alot like the iphone OS. It will be a much more closed system featuring its own MS applications like Office and its own army of 3rd party app developers. No more of software only working if you have a fast enough gamecard etc.

The Ipad is hugely impressive. It does what it does incredibly well...video streaming, content browsing (I never go to flash heavy sites anyway) light productivity. The most impressive thing however, is that it frees me from my PC desk at home and lets me roam the house and spend time with my family.

 

[sconnor99]

The Ipad is hugely impressive. It does what it does incredibly well...video streaming, content browsing (I never go to flash heavy sites anyway) light productivity. The most impressive thing however, is that it frees me from my PC desk at home and lets me roam the house and spend time with my family.

For those who wonder why you would want an iPad, there's one of the answers in that last post

 

[andiwm2003]

The Ipad is hugely impressive. It does what it does incredibly well...video streaming, content browsing (I never go to flash heavy sites anyway) light productivity. The most impressive thing however, is that it frees me from my PC desk at home and lets me roam the house and spend time with my family.

For those who wonder why you would want an iPad, there's one of the answers in that last post

actually while i fully agree with this mail for me the main point is that there is no boot up time at all.

i touch the home button and immediately see my email. one click and I get huffington post or weather or what not.

even when I'm not home and have the passcode lock on it's much faster than picking up the MBP and logging in.

 

[Jaro65]

Ok, everyone please just stop buying iPads. Its a piece of crap. No one needs it !!!!!


(hopefully we international customers will get it sooner if idiots in US stop buying it )

Exactly! Where are all the "epic fail" prognosticators? Hiding in the bushes now?

 

[Cheffy Dave]

Ok, everyone please just stop buying iPads. Its a piece of crap. No one needs it !!!!!


(hopefully we international customers will get it sooner if idiots in US stop buying it )

don't forget," NO ONE WILL WANT IT!Bound to fail"
I'm laughing all the way to the bank

 

[PaulSorensen]

Ok, everyone please just stop buying iPads. Its a piece of crap. No one needs it !!!!!


(hopefully we international customers will get it sooner if idiots in US stop buying it )

I really do have sympathy for you guys - but, trust me, the wait is worth it.

 

[sishaw]

I've already decided that my next laptop will be running Linux (probably Gentoo), and will likely be an X-series Lenovo (both due to this neglect, and due to severe discomfort with Apple's recent evil moves). *shrug* I've switched operating systems several times before, this'll be just another in a long line. I've been careful to not lock myself into any particular corporation's products, after all, unlike some people.

When I used Linux, I participated in discussion groups and heard from enough holier-than-thou non-corporate types to last 3 lifetimes. That is, until they found something Linux couldn't do, like stream a particular kind of video, then all of a sudden corporation-made IT products became OK.

Whatever. Good luck.

 

[AppEzzy]

Makes me wonder after all these years we don't have an iPod killer

Yep, nothing has even come close!

 

[G58]

MacRumors.com News Discussion

And in other news from Silicon Valley, in what looks like a reaction to Apple's announcement today that they've sold one million iPads in the first month, three technology giants have been found dead in an apparent suicide pact.

Bill Gates was discovered drowned in his own tears in a hermetically sealed room full of Microsoft prototypes, at his home in Medina overlooking Lake Washington.

Former Wall Street trader and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos expired in a gigantic warehouse full of unsold Kindles, after eating an apple laced with a poison yet to be identified.

There is however some speculation whether the death of Microsoft's hapless CEO Steve Ballmer was actually suicide. Witnesses say the 54 year old simply exploded in his office, after hearing the news of Apple's sales results.

Jerry Kaplan, founder of the now defunct GO Corporation was said to be in a thoughtful frame of mind, commenting to reporters: "These guys got it wrong. You've got to know when to get out of the game."

© Gray Ellison 2010