Apparently, Apple offered a brief (very) statement about this, essentially saying nothing.
Oh, they did say to check online, which I did. No change.
Oh, they did say to check online, which I did. No change.
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How do they not have any pencils at launch? SMH
- Thread starter EdisEdward
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Tbh, this bummed me out. I'm getting quoted two weeks for the pencil shipping! I really hope that's Apple's famous under-promise-over-deliver game at work, because the pencil's basically the only reason I'm buying this thing in the first place.
Seen several references here to these two accessories - both go to the core of the product sales strategy - being available to buy here in the UK.
Not so much, no.
First time I checked was couple of hours (local time) into Wednesday morning: neither were available until next week. After breakfast on Wednesday that had been pushed to 1-2 weeks. early this morning - Launch Friday - online shipping is 4-5 weeks out.
How about driving to an Apple Store this morning, on Launch Day? Nope, at the open (10.02am) there was no line to buy the tablet, no rush in the store - but no Pencil or keyboard in stock. Just a hapless sales person pitching how amazing the iPad Pro´s is with its two accessories - which aren´t available.
This is how the product is being pitched to professional users? It´s not all about super design or components, you know - logistics and "the moment of truth" at the point of sale also matters.
I am very impressed with the iPad Pro itself. Beautiful device and screen. But time is scarse if they are to convince picky users: one would think Apple would seek to make the most of these next few weeks´ media and consumer attention and sell as many iPad Pros as they can. With its companion accessories. With this complete planning cock-up - indeed a massive failure of co-ordination - sales and customer satisfaction will be hurt. Not quite the Maps launch - but not too far off either. "here is your new iThingy - your just-for-iThingy charger is a month away..."
Thank you for letting me vent a little, and correct the misunderstanding some participants may have on UK availability.
No luck at the Apple Store again. There was a line (my husband said he was the only one asking about Pencil, though) and they are telling him to "just order it online, it'll be 4-6 weeks".
Guess I'll sit here and be "happy" that I only have to wait until between the 20th and 30th since I ordered 25 minutes after the online orders opened.
Guess I'll sit here and be "happy" that I only have to wait until between the 20th and 30th since I ordered 25 minutes after the online orders opened.
It also seems backwards to me. There was a lot of excitement among artists for this launch, but now with the huge delay I think some of that enthusiasm will fade. Especially if the Pencil ends up being more comparable to Surface Pro 4's pen than initially thought (for example I'm beginning to believe that the latency and linearity improvements vs N-trig are mostly found in the brush engine of Notes, not the hardware itself).
If I had the thing right now I'd be posting sketches, trying out different software options, and generally discussing it all over the usual digital artist hangouts online. Instead I'm wondering if I'll just return the iPP and bite the bullet on a big, heavy, noisy Cintiq Companion 2.
Dude you shouldn't give up faith. From the the very few artists I've seen reviewed and demonstrated the Pencil (on YouTube), they seem to love it.
It's really hard to tell what they're comparing to (for example in a lot of videos the user compares it to passive iPad styluses, which is meaningless). My time in-store convinced me that Apple had built an amazing, but limited brush engine for Notes, but I wasn't impressed with performance in the other apps available and this makes the hardware performance unclear.
I guess my point is that this mixup makes me want to step back and reconsider instead of being an early adopter, but if it takes too long for the situation to clear up I may have already moved on to a device that I know has an excellent pen experience (but is otherwise awkward).
I went to a couple stores in the Dallas area over lunch today and came up empty. The employees seem a little annoyed that I was asking if they had the Pencil in stock.
So I was one of the first to "preorder" the iPad Pro, Keyboard, and Pencil. All we're available for pickup on wednesday at the North Star, San Antonio Apple store. However when I got my email for "items are ready to be picked up", it was only for the iPad Pro. I then looked at my order and I saw that my keyboard and Pencil we're cancelled. I know I didn't cancel it myself. So I called the store and they told me that it was a mistake and that the keyboard and pencil we're demo units. They had been placed in the "sell able" category accidently. Naturally I was annoyed cause I didn't even get an email or a phone call that they we're cancelled. However the Apple Store told me that they would be getting them in everyday, they just don't know how many.
So when I went to pick up my iPad Pro yesterday (thursday), I asked if they had any pencil and keyboard available, and they said no. However they told me that since I had preordered for store pickup, they put my name on a list and they we're gonna reserve them for me. Just when I was about to exit the store, they called me over and said they had the Pencil and Keyboard for me!
I would definitely check with the store or call them to save a trip and see if you can reserve or have them put away. I asked how many they had in the back and they said not many at all. I believe that stores will get some shipment in everyday, you just have to check everyday unfortunately.
So when I went to pick up my iPad Pro yesterday (thursday), I asked if they had any pencil and keyboard available, and they said no. However they told me that since I had preordered for store pickup, they put my name on a list and they we're gonna reserve them for me. Just when I was about to exit the store, they called me over and said they had the Pencil and Keyboard for me!
I would definitely check with the store or call them to save a trip and see if you can reserve or have them put away. I asked how many they had in the back and they said not many at all. I believe that stores will get some shipment in everyday, you just have to check everyday unfortunately.
Thanks to your post I read this morning, prompted me to follow up with the girl in the Apple Store. After an hour trying to get through on the phone she said both my pencil and keyboard were available. They messed themselves up on Wednesday with an early launch instead of letting everything just go for Friday.
Got the keyboard today. Pretty cool to see my name on sticker applied to box at store.
So now have KB pencil and pro ordered 2:10 am or so Wednesday. Time to have some fun.
So now have KB pencil and pro ordered 2:10 am or so Wednesday. Time to have some fun.
I have been using one for the last year or so prior to the Apple Pencil. While very thick, it does provide for a fairly decent stylus experience and it is the only one with an eraser as long as the app supports it. Many of the common note-taking apps do. I am not an artist. I am an attorney and use my iPad to take trial notes. I will try the Pencil at trial next week and report back. But you can't really go wrong with the Pencil by 53. It is a great device and has some advantage over the pencil. There will always be shortcomings with digital art to a certain extent. It is replicating a real experience. For note-taking, the Pencil seems better because it is actually like a pen or a pencil and it is easier to see and more accurate to write. The Pencil by 53 has the eraser and much longer battery life.
For literally HALF the price of the Apple Pencil I may just give the 53 a shot.
I had the black one, but for some reason, the wooden looking one is made of a different metal and will magnetize to a Smart Cover.