Frankly, I think they were already working on retina even before the first iPad Mini was released. If the yields for the screen still aren't high enough, though, what else can they do?
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All iPads Is anyone actually buying this "our supply can't meet demand" thing?
- Thread starter stonyboys
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That's what sucks about it; it's true that screen manufacturing is out of their control.
I'm no economy expert but I would think the demand since at least 2 years ago would've had Apple work something out with the manufacturers to ramp up production. Maybe open another plant; there's $$ in it for all parties afterall
Let's be honest....even if we're talking about Apple. Apple has the largest stash of cash of any company in the world, and is now the most recognized brand name. They are a HUGE company where it counts, and they didn't get that way by hapless marketing and begging companies to provide them with product. I imagine Apple is just as vicious with their suppliers as Ford and GM, and have more than just a handshake with Samsung et al.
If the Air and Mini 2 were available on the same date, with the same specs, and the Mini was both smaller and lighter, and $100 less, which tablet do you really think would fly off the shelves faster. If you answered Mini, you are correct. Apple will be able to sell millions of Air tablets between now and Thanksgiving, and the return period will be closed. The Mini will do just as well, and Apple gets to hit two home runs in the same month. I'm not faulting Apple for wanting to make money, but let's remember they have an obligation to themselves, shareholders, and Carl Icahn. I can live with that, and still feel warm and fuzzy about whichever new iPad I buy.
If the Air and Mini 2 were available on the same date, with the same specs, and the Mini was both smaller and lighter, and $100 less, which tablet do you really think would fly off the shelves faster. If you answered Mini, you are correct. Apple will be able to sell millions of Air tablets between now and Thanksgiving, and the return period will be closed. The Mini will do just as well, and Apple gets to hit two home runs in the same month. I'm not faulting Apple for wanting to make money, but let's remember they have an obligation to themselves, shareholders, and Carl Icahn. I can live with that, and still feel warm and fuzzy about whichever new iPad I buy.
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It takes a bunch of time and billions of dollars to build a screen fab facility.
In manufacturing, you build capacity based on expected ongoing demand; overbuilding capacity just to accommodate the early-in-the-product-lifecycle sales is a major waste of money.
Especially so if your overall sales won't be appreciably different.
Do you think the total ipad retina mini sales over its product lifetime would be all that different either way? I doubt supply constraints in 4Q13 will have a significant effect in the overall numbers. So long as lost net profit is less than the cost to build the extra capacity, there's no real reason for them to worry about it.
I don't know if total rMini sales would be impacted hugely; I don't think anyone can say for sure at this point. But I do know that Apple WILL lose out on customers who cannot get their hands on it for the Holidays, who instead opt to get cheaper alternatives from competing companies.
Certainly. and that's a difficult number to quantify.
I suspect the situation is that the vendor Apple is using for screens (I forget right now and it's not really relevant) predicted a higher yield and Apple planned around that. By the time it was apparent that yields were lower it was too late to do anything; expanding fab capacity takes months if not years depending on the level of retooling of old equipment vs. outfitting new space.
To be fair, no one at Apple said there wasn't enough supply to meet demand.
They said they have no idea what the demand will be and it is possible they won't be able to meet the launch demand.
Not the same thing.
They said they have no idea what the demand will be and it is possible they won't be able to meet the launch demand.
Not the same thing.
This is a true statement, honestly apple doesn't even try to keep up and have fallen behind android in the phone world.
They don't do something because the competition does, even on something as great as NFC
They can't have billions of dollars in inventory sitting in warehouses for months. They also have to consider that sales level off. Building production lines and training workers that will sit idle after the first rush of sales is bad business.
I'm amazed they can even make as many as they do. Its not like they are making tooth picks. Its just incredible. Millions they make MILLIONS of them. Then fly/ship them over here. Think about how many boats/planes it takes. Semi-trucks full of them. Not sure you fully grasp the coordination all this takes. I'm sure if they put YOU behind the desk to figure out how to supply the world with all of these iDevices you would quit the first day.
Oh and then the crazy thing was my iPhone 5s had the latest version of iOS on it when I got it, like it was made yesterday.
Although I will say this... I'm sure you can get quite a few on a semi they aren't very big or heavy.
Oh and then the crazy thing was my iPhone 5s had the latest version of iOS on it when I got it, like it was made yesterday.
Although I will say this... I'm sure you can get quite a few on a semi they aren't very big or heavy.
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I think its a mix of both shorter supply AND wanting the Air to get a fair shake in the market.
The retina mini's demand should be high no matter what, at a 2gen upgrade jump and slightly cheaper than the Air, it would certainly leave the Air in the shadows for press, reviews, buzz, etc. and the Air is worthy of its own spotlight for a few minutes. It just needs to work a bit harder for them because its a smaller upgrade generationally.
If they said the Air is releasing November 1st and the mini is releasing November 21st, something as small as providing the specific date could mean pacifying those who were waiting but want a spec upgrade in the next x weeks, and in the meantime are reading hands on reviews and looking at this board and getting persuaded to perhaps get the air instead.
This will also take some of the pressure off of supply issues, but not on such a great scale as to solve the problem completely. I still think the mini retina's going to be a huge seller and the harder device to find.
The retina mini's demand should be high no matter what, at a 2gen upgrade jump and slightly cheaper than the Air, it would certainly leave the Air in the shadows for press, reviews, buzz, etc. and the Air is worthy of its own spotlight for a few minutes. It just needs to work a bit harder for them because its a smaller upgrade generationally.
If they said the Air is releasing November 1st and the mini is releasing November 21st, something as small as providing the specific date could mean pacifying those who were waiting but want a spec upgrade in the next x weeks, and in the meantime are reading hands on reviews and looking at this board and getting persuaded to perhaps get the air instead.
This will also take some of the pressure off of supply issues, but not on such a great scale as to solve the problem completely. I still think the mini retina's going to be a huge seller and the harder device to find.
Do you really think that apple didnt plan way in advance to release retina display iPad minis. Trust me they want your money. Hardware is what they do. They want to be able to satisfy the market demands. Apple has billions invested on companies like sharp, lg, samsung and others....
And lose out on holiday sales? I think selling 2 million or so retina Mini's during this holiday season is still better than waiting until next year and selling zero now.
Yeah but they are building hype which is smart marketing. With it being hard to get, more people will be ordering. For me personally, i need to see and hold it to be sold on it.
I don't think lack of NFC is a matter of "falling behind." Apple just doesn't see a use for it yet. It's the same with wireless charging. On the other hand, they did see a reason to jump to the ARM v8 architecture, which is probably at least 6 months and up to a year before their other competitors will be able to do so.
Given that Google and Amazon switched to high DPI screens this year, Apple probably couldn't go without releasing a high DPI iPad mini this year. They might not have wanted to, knowing how low yields would be, but if they hadn't, they might have lost a lot of sales this quarter.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1721?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
http://www.tested.com/tech/1337-we-uncover-the-dead-pixel-policies-for-every-major-lcd-maker/
Apple considers 8 bright and 10 dead normal on 22"+, lenovo has a limit of 3. Dell has 5 or none bright ones on the monitors with guarantees. Apple actually has the worst limits for replacements.
yes I know they want everyone's money. but like you said, they have billions invested on the manufacturing companies, and if they did plan way in advance, which they did, then why didn't they release a retina mini to begin with? circles back to they just know people will buy regardless and want that $$$
Battery life. The Apple A5 and A6 likely can't handle retina and the A5X and A6X are probably too power hungry to put in the Mini.
Sorry but that is silly. Im sure Apple wants to sell as minis as possible and not hear people saying im waiting for retina. Or stick a battery in it that will make it uncompetitive in the market.