Initial iPad Air 2 Supplies May Be Limited, 27-Inch Retina Display iMac Launching by End of 2014

[MyopicPaideia]

That's Apple's job, not mine. The way people think Apple can walk on water, you'd think you could walk into one of their stores in their home country and buy their newest phone. But the iPhone is always in short supply for months, and the iPad mini was in short supply, and the Retina mini was in short supply, and if I recall correctly, the last redesign of the iMac was in short supply. I'm seeing a repeating pattern.

There are many more factors to weigh in here. Apple is making iPhones as fast as humanly possible. There is absolutely zero incentive for them to do anything else. Every single phone they make is already sold and money in their pocket. In addition, it is LEAN manufacturing supply chain genius. It is better for the company and better for the environment if they can produce product having a better idea of the demand in what amounts to real time. It is a responsible way to run a manufacturing business. No wasted resources, no massive inventory of unsold product.

The trend you are seeing is LEAN business processes at work. IIRC the shortages on the iMacs were almost exclusively with BTO models, which is reasonable at launch, especially if yields are not at optimal a levels for all components. Then all the other elements that go into managing supply chain, like component issues, issues with suppliers and manufacturing partners, etc.

This is Cook's strongest point, supply chain. If a side affect of that is an opportunity for marketing hype so be it. The other effect is you have to wait a couple of weeks for your gadget. Understandably frustrating, and understandably not in your personal best interests, but this is the way manufacturing should be run so it is most efficient.

The thing that makes it really difficult is that we are talking about unprecedented volumes never before seen in history, especially in the high tech advanced computer industry. There is no other company doing these levels of numbers.

If you want to complain about it, that's fine, but unless you have some good suggestions about how to make it better, then you should have some understanding about how difficult this is to pull off. And if you do have a solution that allows the company to maintain its process efficiency, maintain tight control of it's supply chain, and at the same time improve product availability for the end consumer at launch time, then Apple should hire you, you are the next Tim Cook.

 

[MyopicPaideia]

Then they need more factories.

Ignorant. I actually expect more from you, Scruff, your posts are usually more intelligent than this. Must be having a bad day.

Foxconn can't even hire enough people at its current factories if you'll recall, so opening a new one won't solve the problem if even China doesn't have enough workers to produce the volumes of iPhone Apple would need to satisfy demand.

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The scalpers sucked up plenty of the US supply on launch weekend. People ordered phones a couple of weeks ago and haven't gotten them, yet people in new countries did.

The people that got them in new countries at launch got space grey or silver 16/64GB 6's - they didn't get gold 128GB 6+'s. Orders are being filled in the order they are being received. This silly argument doesn't hold any water.

 

[xmichaelp]

So then what has "been way too long" if all they are doing is iPads and Mac Minis are not being updated?

Think they will redesign the form factor of the iMac? The colors of the invite suggest old school Macintosh...

The tagline means nothing. People are just reaching thinking it means a new product update that is overdue. I said it in another thread but I think it's just a playful sarcastic line seeing as they just had an event not long ago.

 

[princered]

Looking forward to just see what Apple does. I really don't understand why people bash Apple over rumors. Like Apple ever promised you anything. I'm new to forums but it's a lot of people that cry about their imaginations not being fulfilled by the Rumors that come out. People try not to disappoint yourself. Its ok to have high expectations, but get educated and make sure they are realistic expectations.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Ignorant. I actually expect more from you, Scruff, your posts are usually more intelligent than this. Must be having a bad day.

Foxconn can't even hire enough people at its current factories if you'll recall, so opening a new one won't solve the problem if even China doesn't have enough workers to produce the volumes of iPhone Apple would need to satisfy demand.

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The people that got them in new countries at launch got space grey or silver 16/64GB 6's - they didn't get gold 128GB 6+'s. Orders are being filled in the order they are being received. This silly argument doesn't hold any water.

Yea, a bit of a bad day. So the new countries are only getting the 6, not the 6+?

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I'll mention that to Tim... we're having lunch next week.

Just ask him to get me a 6+.

 

[Mattsasa]

Isn't Core M the entry level Broadwell processor and if so wouldn't that be a downgrade for the MBA?

Technically the cpu and gpu power would be less than the current gen MacBook air. Some may consider it a downgrade

 

[Ronm01]

The new 27-inch iMac...will be mine.

I'll have one, too... spring of next year!

 

[ironsienna]

There are many more factors to weigh in here. Apple is making iPhones as fast as humanly possible. There is absolutely zero incentive for them to do anything else. Every single phone they make is already sold and money in their pocket. In addition, it is LEAN manufacturing supply chain genius. It is better for the company and better for the environment if they can produce product having a better idea of the demand in what amounts to real time. It is a responsible way to run a manufacturing business. No wasted resources, no massive inventory of unsold product.

The trend you are seeing is LEAN business processes at work. IIRC the shortages on the iMacs were almost exclusively with BTO models, which is reasonable at launch, especially if yields are not at optimal a levels for all components. Then all the other elements that go into managing supply chain, like component issues, issues with suppliers and manufacturing partners, etc.

This is Cook's strongest point, supply chain. If a side affect of that is an opportunity for marketing hype so be it. The other effect is you have to wait a couple of weeks for your gadget. Understandably frustrating, and understandably not in your personal best interests, but this is the way manufacturing should be run so it is most efficient.

The thing that makes it really difficult is that we are talking about unprecedented volumes never before seen in history, especially in the high tech advanced computer industry. There is no other company doing these levels of numbers.

If you want to complain about it, that's fine, but unless you have some good suggestions about how to make it better, then you should have some understanding about how difficult this is to pull off. And if you do have a solution that allows the company to maintain its process efficiency, maintain tight control of it's supply chain, and at the same time improve product availability for the end consumer at launch time, then Apple should hire you, you are the next Tim Cook.

Jesus!!! You did all this effort to write this message.. I did all this effort to read it..

..and in the end you know what..? Apple doesn't give a s%*@ for both of us...

 

[elmateo487]

These forums make me mostly sad.... so many people complaining

 

[himanshumodi]

Trade in

I wonder if there will be trade-in programs for iPad 2 owners? Have there been trade ins in the past?

 

[zombierunner]

would like to see airplay enabled soundbars in the reasonable price category

 

[NICKXXXXXX]

Would be cool with a thunderbolt with like built in apple tv for Netflix etc. Also hdmi so you can connect your game console

 

[irnchriz]

It's been way too long, would indicate an update to a product line which hasn't been touched for a while, no?

Mac Mini
Apple TV
Apple Display
IPods

I expect to see one or more of the above along with the usual ipad updates. Maybe the mini will become a proper upgradable headless Mac with discrete graphics? One can but dream..

 

[MyopicPaideia]

Yea, a bit of a bad day. So the new countries are only getting the 6, not the 6+?

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Just ask him to get me a 6+.

Ha ha ha, no they are all getting the 6+ but you can bet your arse that if both you and I order the same 128GB model 6+ on launch day in our respective countries, you will be getting yours first. PM me when you get yours, and I guarantee I won't have mine yet.

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Jesus!!! You did all this effort to write this message.. I did all this effort to read it..

..and in the end you know what..? Apple doesn't give a s%*@ for both of us...

Nope, they just want our loyal business.

 

[rweed]

Huh. I don't think I saw one post here about iOS 8 issues affecting iPad Air 2 sales. We are going to see hesitation there. Not from the people here, but the general public. People who use these devices for business are being affected.

Right now, I have to run my 4th gen iPad with spell check turned off or Safari keeps locking up. Camera crashes, photos crashes, etc.

I wiped the device and installed 8.0.2 without restoring my backup and all problems were still there. When I tried to restore my backup, it kept hanging while syncing apps. I had to reboot the device 8-10 times to get it to sync everything. Way to go Apple...break the restore process.

I have a $900 order through VZW for a 6+/64GB. Tim better have something to say about these iOS 8 issues on Thursday or that phone is getting returned when it arrives in a month. A lot of people here are in Apple's captive audience, but not everyone is and I will dump them in a second.

I could cut them some slack if I could go back to 7.1.2, but that window is closed.

 

[69650]

21-inch Retina Display arriving sometime in the second half of 2015

Major disappointment if true. The 2 products I'm most interested in are the retina 21" iMac and 12" MBA. Seems like the wait goes on and on.

 

[emulator]

Of course initial supplies will be limited. It's part of the plan to build hype for a product that no longer creates the hype it did a couple of years ago.

Exactly. But nobody will ever do this better than Nintendo.

 

[till213]

"Way too long" = Apple TV

My guess would be the iPhone Lightning USB cable...

 

[69650]

Foxconn can't even hire enough people at its current factories if you'll recall, so opening a new one won't solve the problem if even China doesn't have enough workers to produce the volumes of iPhone Apple would need to satisfy demand.

Opening new factories won't solve the production capacity problems? And you called the OP ignorant. If they can't find the workers in China then build it somewhere else instead. There's plenty of countries to choose from. Or change the design to make it so they can be build by robots instead. Production capacity is easily solved. Apple obviously doesn't want to spend the extra to solve it. If you always go with the lowest bidder for production you will inevitably have problems in the long run.

 

[JLL]

I expect that one shouldn't have to wait for 3 or 4 months to walk into an Apple store and be able to buy any size, capacity or color that they wanted. They are launching in new countries while people in the US still haven't gotten the phones they ordered two weeks ago. I don't see that as a good launch where the consumer is concerned.

So Apple should just forget all other countries untill all US buyers have one?

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Then Apple's balancing act leaves a lot to be desired.

Show me another company that can handle a launch of that many devices in such a short time.

The amount Apple sells is actually a hindrance in some ways.

If you plan to sell a million a month, your options are much better, and you can even implement things that Apple can't, because they need 100+ million of that thing compared to your 12 million in a year.

 

[SMIDG3T]

Not this guy again...

 

[MyopicPaideia]

Opening new factories won't solve the production capacity problems? And you called the OP ignorant. If they can't find the workers in China then build it somewhere else instead. There's plenty of countries to choose from. Or change the design to make it so they can be build by robots instead. Production capacity is easily solved. Apple obviously doesn't want to spend the extra to solve it. If you always go with the lowest bidder for production you will inevitably have problems in the long run.

What I said is that if you open an new factory you have to fill it with workers. Apple current partners are having trouble finding enough workers to fill the current factories to fulfil the demand for capacity.

Yes there are plenty of countries to choose from. Which one do you suggest? How much do you want to pay for your iPhone? Choosing a different country means finding a partner capable of meeting capacity and quality requirements, it means training an entire hierarchy of new workers, investing in new machinery, rerouting the entire supply chain, etc. This doesn't happen quickly and it definitely doesn't happen temporarily. Production capacity at the levels we are talking about are definitely not easily solved. We are talking about volumes never before reached in this industry. There is no easy or quick fix. If there was Apple would have done it, they have absolutely zero incentive to not - every single phone they can produce is sold, so they are just shooting themselves in the foot if they purposely were holding back supply.

Again, a lot of this shortage is due to product model mix and LEAN manufacturing processes. They produce according to historical data on trends in models' sales. But almost every year they have no historical data to go on. This year it is a larger screen on both models, it is 64 and 128GB instead of 32 and 64GB on the higher end models. They are reacting to demand trends in as close to real time as possible to meet demand efficiently with as little waste a possible to keep costs and resources in check. It is virtually impossible to predict which models to make in which quantities, so they don't even try. The entry level models are more abundant because they cost the least to make, and they know they will get sold, that is why there is a more ready supply of them.

A lot of the components and even assembly are produced and completed by robots now. There are several elements of the final assembly that are not practical or possible to do with robots atm.

You can bet that part of Apple's unprecedented R&D budget go towards trying to solve these very issues every year. Your mind would probably explode with all the problems, issues, and scenarios that have to be addressed and taken into account when running a mega-operation like this.

Given the circumstances, Apple runs like a well oiled machine on the manufacturing side. It is actually quite impressive when you take it all in. It is hard to find excessive fault at any one point in the process, because there will be ten reasons why something can't be done the way you think it should for every one issue you raise. Unless you have an insight into Apple's end-to-end manufacturing process that none of the rest of us are party to?

 

[sinfonye]

It's been way too long, would indicate an update to a product line which hasn't been touched for a while, no?

Mac Mini
Apple TV
Apple Display
IPods

I expect to see one or more of the above along with the usual ipad updates. Maybe the mini will become a proper upgradable headless Mac with discrete graphics? One can but dream..

Has anyone analysed the graphic? It looks like a pen/finger to me hovering over a surface. That could refer to something that is touch-enabled. The surface is wavy rather than flat, which would be odd for a tablet. Maybe it refers to some kind of inductance (charging?), or it's just a reference to TouchID (including it in the iPad has taken way too long? It's being included in Macs after all?).

 

[Dionte]

Limited, not this again.

 

[Sodner]

That's Apple's job, not mine. The way people think Apple can walk on water, you'd think you could walk into one of their stores in their home country and buy their newest phone. But the iPhone is always in short supply for months, and the iPad mini was in short supply, and the Retina mini was in short supply, and if I recall correctly, the last redesign of the iMac was in short supply. I'm seeing a repeating pattern.

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That would do the trick.

Sour grapes from one person who has yet to get their phone. News flash: you want one, get up and get to an Apple Store on launch day.

Sent from my iPhone 6