1. They advertise the iPad Pro keyboard here in Germany with a small asterisk remark: available only in layout english (USA).
What happened to you, Apple?! I always have been adoring your products exactly for not having such remarks, for Gods sake!
Besides of that, it is really a bad taste to advertise a keyboard in a country without localising it. Never thought, it would be possible with Apple.
...Well I also never thought, they would come up with a new product lacking an accessory, which is not only vital for that product's success, but should really come bundled with it for that price!
Who at Apple was in charge for that weirdest product launch at all?! First Eddy to drivel around the iPad Pro's killer feature: speakers while visiting websites, then Tim trying to convince us, it is proper PC replacement... Which is NOT.
iPad Pro stands or falls with the pencil. Without the pencil it is freaking fast, but useless giant iPod (at least for me) and I would not even consider upgrading to it, if not the (missing) pencil.
Even the Apple's own business team employees were speechless and ashamed for that faux pas with the pencil today. They actually apologised to us and gave some additional discount.
So f..ing ridiculous...
2. For creative folks, who, by the way, represent a small but most faithful and dedicated Apple's customer base, it is really a punch in the face.
I'll explain:
I wouldn't mind it, if they would have "sold out" all available iPad Pro in minutes, - you know, the usual route of artificial product shortage to drive up the demand. I wouldn't mind to wait in this case.
I either wouldn't mind, if they just postponed the initial launch of it by a week or two in order to match iPads and accessory supplies.
But I do mind, that they try to fool me that cheap.
It is like selling you a computer without a mandatory proprietary mouse or a Cintiq with no pen and no chance getting one soon...
Pencil is an accessory, which should be available in sufficient numbers, like those magic mice or trackpads. The key difference is: it is a vital accessory.
Apple store Frankfurt (business team) told us today, that they only had a handful of pencils shipped that day.
Hello?! At product launch, even such a sneaky one?!
Apple online business store told me, that they didn't remember selling any of the pencils today and still those are unavailable.
Actually I heard a remarkable sentence from the business team employee, while he was apologising for that mess:
"since Steve Jobs death it is all going crazy down here, everything turned very chaotic, - we sincerely apologise and are embarrased for not being able to offer you an Apple Pencil, like advertised. We have absolutely no explanation for this".
Maybe I am too emotional about this. But... ahh.... to hell with it.