IPad Interest Slowing?

[cdmoore74]

Last night I was at my local Sams club and they had 3 32gb, 9 32gb and tons of 64gb. I had to return my 16gb back due to a dead pixel and they had exactly the same amount. The most interesting thing I noticed was that people were clearly interested in them, asked if it was the ipad 2 or 3 and then walked away. Even the box looks confusing and unexciting. The biggest issue with "normal folk" is that it looks exactly the same with the screen off. How many people buy the same looking car, the same looking house, the same looking shirt, the same looking shoes and you start to get my point. That initial "man that looks awesome effect" is not there until you turn on the screen. And after that people still might not see the difference. Remember, I spotted a dead pixel, I'm a tech geek. But a lot of people do not look at the screen the same way "we" do.
Regardless, Apple sold a ton. One bestbuy got in 270 and they had maybe 50 in stock. But I wonder how many of those sales are from scalpers looking to make a quick buck. I think many people including myself under estimated Apple's ability to meet demand on launch day. Or worst, demand is not there. Plain and simple.

 

[Nebrie]

If you think previous iPads were scarce because of actual manufacturing problems, I have a bridge to sell you.

I have a friend who works for Foxconn and was stationed in China during the iPad 2 launch. According to him, your statement is pure bull. Apple has a lot of manufacturing flexibility but you still can't just press a button to make 500k extra iPads overnight.

 

[anonymouse99]

Just out of curiosity, I called the busiest local apple store to see if they had an iPad that I'd be getting in the near future (64-ATT-black).

The salesperson said that they did have them in stock - during the conversation strangely they kept repeating a couple of times that there would be no guarantee that I'd get it by the time I reached, which sounded strange, since I did not ask that question. It distinctly felt as though they had run out of customers for the time being. I bet folks getting these have been now suffering from 'ipad buying exhaustion'.

I agree, there have been a ton of pre-orders, and with Walmart, Target and other stores simultaneously releasing the product, foot traffic in stores has been less, causing more Fedex/UPS traffic.

I wonder though how many iPad's were delivered to doors as projectiles -lol-

 

[phpmaven]

I'm sure this will turn out to be the biggest launch ever. They did a much better job with the pre-ordering this time. You were able to pre-order for delivery on launch day for a full 2 days. The last pre-order for the iPhone 4 lasted for part of one day and it was nearly impossible to get an order through. They also planned much better as far in-store stock is concerned so that there isn't the frenzy to find the model you want.

I think though that once these get out into the wild (it was only released 2 days ago) and people see the screen and Apple gets it's commercials going, you are going to see things ramp up.

 

[Cutwolf]

I have a friend who works for Foxconn and was stationed in China during the iPad 2 launch. According to him, your statement is pure bull. Apple has a lot of manufacturing flexibility but you still can't just press a button to make 500k extra iPads overnight.

Absence of manufacturing problems doesn't mean there wasnt an actual shortage. I believe Appe intentionally underproduced to increase scarcity and thus demand/perceived value.

 

[xofruitcake]

Seems odd to me that apple ran out of iPads online but seems to have plenty in multiple stores and outlets around the world a week later. I figure Tim cook as the guru of distribution misfigured something?

Apple charted plan (really DHL did that for Apple) to bring Ipad to US. The freight rate went up about 20% from China to US because of Apple shipment a few weeks before the launch. I think Apple miscalculate the distribution between online sales vs store sales and sent too many unit to stores around the country vs allocate them for online shipment. It should be solve pretty soon. Most folks who has later delivery date can cancel their online order and just walk in and buy one. I would love to see the first weekend sales figure also. I think Apple is going to pressured by all the speculation about Ipad 3 popularity and has to release the figure to clam the critic. They did not release any initial sales figure for Ipad 2 because it was supply constrained.

 

[KPOM]

Absence of manufacturing problems doesn't mean there wasnt an actual shortage. I believe Appe intentionally underproduced to increase scarcity and thus demand/perceived value.

I doubt it. It's one thing if product availability is scarce for a few days, but it was over a month after the launch before the iPad 2 was available in significant quantities in the US, and several weeks after that before it was available in Europe. If Apple had the supply they could have sold more as undoubtedly some people who might otherwise have purchased decided not to by the time it was available.

If you read the Steve Jobs biography, you'll see that he was prone to tweaking the product design right up until the launch date, which often constrained production. For all we know, if he were still around, he might have decided at the last minute to delay production to make it a millimeter thinner. Tim Cook the supply chain expert is much less likely to do that.

Anyway, it looks like Apple has an analyst call tomorrow to discuss what they plan to do with their cash stockpile. That will probably drive the stock. My guess is they will also make some sort of statement on Monday about iPad demand, as that will be an obvious question if they don't bring it up.

http://allthingsd.com/20120318/appl...ce-tomorrow-morning/?reflink=ATD_yahoo_ticker

 

[dontwalkhand]

I can say that I am on my iPad a lot more than my iMac

 

[egeek84]

as someone else mentioned, I think that interest hasn't slowed down and that sales will continue to rise as the year progresses and as we eventually reach the holiday season

 

[sekazi]

i Preordered my iPad and this is my first iPad. I would never stand in line for something I can get shipped to my door the same day without having to pay for gas, skip work and standing in a line for hours.

 

[drenline]

Well.....

At least they didn't name it the iPad 2S.

 

[Asclepio]

Yes the "magical" hype is slowing down... i remember fan boy tell how Lion was good figure that... anyway the ipad is taking the route of the ipods.

 

[OTACORB]

Absence of manufacturing problems doesn't mean there wasnt an actual shortage. I believe Appe intentionally underproduced to increase scarcity and thus demand/perceived value.

However, what you believe and what may be true are two very different things! All this is pure speculation period!

 

[Plum.]

I don't think the "magical" hype is slowing down just yet, but you have to remember that tablet computers are becoming very mainstream. More and more people own one, even if its not an iPad, so they are bound to not feel quite as special as they used to.

 

[Cutwolf]

I doubt it. It's one thing if product availability is scarce for a few days, but it was over a month after the launch before the iPad 2 was available in significant quantities in the US, and several weeks after that before it was available in Europe. If Apple had the supply they could have sold more as undoubtedly some people who might otherwise have purchased decided not to by the time it was available.

If you read the Steve Jobs biography, you'll see that he was prone to tweaking the product design right up until the launch date, which often constrained production. For all we know, if he were still around, he might have decided at the last minute to delay production to make a millimeter thinner. Tim Cook the supply chain expert is much less likely to do that.

Anyway, it looks like Apple has an analyst call tomorrow to discuss what they plan to do with their cash stockpile. That will probably drive the stock. My guess is they will also make some sort of statement on Monday about iPad demand, as that will be an obvious question if they don't bring it up.

http://allthingsd.com/20120318/appl...ce-tomorrow-morning/?reflink=ATD_yahoo_ticker

Up up it goes.

Glad I bought about a week ago. Better late than never.

 

[iEvolution]

To be honest, I think tablets are still essentially niche devices and while there is some great software out there I haven't ran into one ipad or android wise that would make me rush out to get one. They're still sidekicks to desktops/laptops.

The biggest problem I have with both android and iOS is that there are so much garbage apps out there you have to shift through it all to find the gems and unlike desktop computers (mac and PC) where most programs are pretty professional, there seems to be a good majority of apps for iOS and android that are just made to make a quick buck with no substance.

 

[iohass]

You guys don't know:
1. how many ipads were available at launch last year
2. how many ipads were available at launch this year
3. how many ipads have been sold thus far


The only information you are operating on is that when you go into your local Wal-Mart, there is an ipad on the shelf.

 

[dgstan]

I was at the Mission Viejo Mall this afternoon and there was a line of 20-25 people waiting to get the new iPad. I'm thinking this version might be one of those things you have to see to believe. Once people get a glimpse of the amazing screen, the decide they have to have it.