Blame the Verizon iPhone for the stupid iPad 2 ordering mess.

[levitynyc]

I love how Apple is trying to create news channel buzz by forcing Day 1 iPad 2 buyers to line up at stores since you can't online preorder. Lord knows we can't have a smooth Day 1 launch like the Verizon iPhone since news outlets reported failure since there weren't huge lines.

Can anyone think of a reason why we can't preorder now and have it shipped to our door on the 11th like every single other launch since the original iPhone?

They simply want news buzz in the middle of the afternoon to have thousands of people lined up around the country.

The Verizon iPhone 4 was a huge success in sales and the ease of purchasing. However it failed in the news' eyes in that there weren't long lines, rioting, and everything went smoothly.

 

[Sodner]

Sad but you are probably spot on. Apple wants to see lines. And I'm one that will be in them.

 

[88Keys]

Flawed logic is flawed. The previous iPad was allowed preorders and still had massive lines.

 

[levitynyc]

Flawed logic is flawed. The previous iPad was allowed preorders and still had massive lines.

Since then Apple has been fantastic at getting things to my door on Day 1 without having to worry about leaving my house.

Also if I'm not mistaken, it was not a 5PM launch.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[ovrlrd]

I do think there is some truth to the "buzz theory" (as I like to call it) but it is more related to the fact that they don't want iPads to sell out online as quickly. By shipping it out only to stores during the first week (next week) they are able to accumulate an extra week worth of manufacturing of iPad 2s before the online sales start. While stores might sell out in the first day or two (my guess is most will on the first day), online sales will still be going strong to offset anyone who got snubbed trying to buy it in store.

This might be enough to offset the rumored "manufacturing yield" issue with the new thinner display process and keep it from selling out online (in Apple terms this means longer than a "1 to 2 day" estimated shipping window) for at least the first two weeks.

 

[Coukos34]

Flawed logic is flawed. The previous iPad was allowed preorders and still had massive lines.

Yes but it was a brand new product. Plus the Verizon iPhone release actually made headlines, for the lack of any lines at stores. His logic is not flawed in my eyes, seems to make sense to me.
The only other thing I had heard, is that they cannot allow pre-orders until it clears the FCC (by law). The original 3G iPad had a delayed release, so maybe it related to that?

 

[maflynn]

Can anyone think of a reason why we can't preorder now

Yes.

you cannot purchase or preorder any device that has not cleared the FCC yet.