Looks like Apple was just trying to beat it's competition

[Stealthipad]

I do not think Apple was originally going to deliver the iPad 2 for another month or so but they could not resist when they saw to the Zoom and other new tablets hitting the market before them! We were ALL surprised that the iPad 2 delivery date came with out a warning.

SO Apple got GREEDY and got us to all order now when they knew they did not have NEAR the stock to cover their orders.

Why should we not be surprised . . . . because they have done this in the past!

 

[thetruth1985]

I do not think Apple was originally going to deliver the iPad 2 for another month or so but they could not resist when they saw to the Zoom and other new tablets hitting the market before them! We were ALL surprised that the iPad 2 delivery date came with out a warning.

SO Apple got GREEDY and got us to all order now when they knew they did not have NEAR the stock to cover their orders.

Why should we not be surprised . . . . because they have done this in the past!

I have to agree especially when it's still been less than a year since the ipad 1 came out. It works out for them though because people that were considering the xoom can now see that the ipad 2 is considerably faster. As far as stock is concerned, I think that there was no way for them to have enough on hand. Some people on this forum have seen lines as long as 500 people. If they were to carry enough on hand prior to launch, they would have to send them to stores even earlier than usual and risk some douche doing a illegal unboxing on youtube.

 

[ovrlrd]

I do not think Apple was originally going to deliver the iPad 2 for another month or so but they could not resist when they saw to the Zoom and other new tablets hitting the market before them! We were ALL surprised that the iPad 2 delivery date came with out a warning.

SO Apple got GREEDY and got us to all order now when they knew they did not have NEAR the stock to cover their orders.

Why should we not be surprised . . . . because they have done this in the past!

Conspiracy!

No sorry, they planned the release date long ahead of time. Then they picked the day they would announce it, and unless it's a new product line then the announcement isn't gonna take place more than 1-2 weeks before release day. The release day is picked long before the day they choose to announce it. It is way harder to plan a release than it is to plan an announcement, and Apple doesn't like to leave much time where the old model isn't retailing for full price.

I doubt Apple is even slightly concerned with the competition to be honest with you. They have such a large lead that as long as they keep coming out with a new one each year with better features it's gonna be quite awhile before they have to be concerned.

 

[Pressure]

Why so serious?

 

[jonnyb]

The logic doesn't follow through here. Last year there was a three and half month gap between the iPad being announced and launch and they still didnt have enough to satisfy demand. Launches in 'second wave' territories were delayed because the US launch was so successful.

They have to announce/launch at some point - they cant keep delaying it. They announced it when they knew they could launch successfully and get a decent amount of units in customers' hands without too long a delay.

 

[Stealthipad]

The logic doesn't follow through here. Last year there was a three and half month gap between the iPad being announced and launch and they still didnt have enough to satisfy demand. Launches in 'second wave' territories were delayed because the US launch was so successful.

They have to announce/launch at some point - they cant keep delaying it. They announced it when they knew they could launch successfully and get a decent amount of units in customers' hands without too long a delay.

We shall see as today is the last day that Apple can keep using the "ships in 3-5 days".

They either need to ship a butt load of iPads today or get caught telling one heck of a big whopper lie to is loyal customers. I am betting they come up with a lie! I set my alarm and ordered mine at 12:06 PST and still not shipped, NOT EVEN in the prepared for shipment mode, just nothing.

It is hard to believe that Apple had ANY inventory when they can not fill a order made 6 minutes after introduction!

 

[Krandor]

It is hard to believe that Apple had ANY inventory when they can not fill a order made 6 minutes after introduction!

Right now it appears the retail stores are getting more stock then the online stores. It isn't that there is no inventory... it is how you prioritize the inventory you have. Everybody that didn't get one wants one... the online people want them shipped now. the people calling retail stores want their store to get a big shipment. It is tough for Apple to decide how and where to prioritize their stock. Somebody isn't going to be happy.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

SO Apple got GREEDY and got us to all order now when they knew they did not have NEAR the stock to cover their orders.

Not sure if you are being sarcastic or not. But how does trying to get ahead of the curve relate to greed? From most reports it looks like Apple sold 2x as many units this launch weekend as the original iPad so I don't know how one makes a cogent argument Apple was not prepared w/ enough inventory. It was fairly clear early Fri. AM when the ordering started that delivery was not the way to go this time. It's why I got in line at 3:30. You are free to cancel your online order anytime up until it ships. It's not like your money is spent w/ nothing to show for it.

 

[falconeight]

I do not think Apple was originally going to deliver the iPad 2 for another month or so but they could not resist when they saw to the Zoom and other new tablets hitting the market before them! We were ALL surprised that the iPad 2 delivery date came with out a warning.

SO Apple got GREEDY and got us to all order now when they knew they did not have NEAR the stock to cover their orders.

Why should we not be surprised . . . . because they have done this in the past!

The ipad 1 is better than the xoom, and I own a xoom. Specs are great but if the software isn't ready then you have a product that is clunky, and useless.

 

[offcamber]

Being 1st to market is a goal of any company. Apple included.

 

[Sodner]

You wait either way. You wait for them to manufacture a huge supply before they sell them, or you wait for them to build and ship them once you order.

Either way you wait.

That being said, I think Apple is in a bit of a pickle. These things are selling WAY faster than they imagined and I believe there are maunfacturing issues as people have seen glue problems, and light bleeding problems. What does Apple do if demand does not die down and orders continue to pile in online. I mean will they let the delivery time online slide to 6, 7 or even 8 weeks?

 

[ovrlrd]

You wait either way. You wait for them to manufacture a huge supply before they sell them, or you wait for them to build and ship them once you order.

Either way you wait.

But *cry cry* people have one before me!

Seriously people, it's just an iPad.

 

[deeddawg]

From most reports it looks like Apple sold 2x as many units this launch weekend as the original iPad so I don't know how one makes a cogent argument Apple was not prepared w/ enough inventory.

Meh. It's pretty standard these days for armchair-CEO's to go on a rant about what a company should or shouldn't do. In cases talking about Apple launching without being "ready", the unspoken assumption is that it's somehow magically easy to gauge actual consumer demand for a product update.

If one of the armchair-CEO's actually *has* a better way to forecast demand, I bet Apple (and any number of other tech companies) would be more than happy to pay pretty good consulting rates for their expertise.

But *cry cry* people have one before me!
Seriously people, it's just an iPad.

Here's my completely unfounded speculation: Much of the angst is from former ipad1 owners who thought they'd be clever in selling their ipad1 just before announcement with the intent of buying the ipad2 on launch day, and are now caught out? I imagine I'd be pretty anxious if I'd sold mine ahead of time expecting to be without it for a couple weeks and now facing a huge shortage. I understand the allure of a new product, but seriously though the upgrade is evolutionary not revolutionary; we're not talking a life-changing experience here.

 

[Sodner]

But *cry cry* people have one before me!

Seriously people, it's just an iPad.

Exactly!! The only difference is not the wait time. In the first scenario EVERYONE waits. In the second, at least SOME people get their iPad.

People are that someone people got one, and they didn't.

 

[eawmp1]

...From most reports it looks like Apple sold 2x as many units this launch weekend as the original iPad so I don't know how one makes a cogent argument Apple was not prepared w/ enough inventory...

I haven't seen the final numbers (iPad 1 preorders + 1st week sales versus iPad 2 online orders + first week sales) (yes I know it's not yet a week), but if this is halfway true NO ONE can fault Apple for the unprecedented demand. No company can function with a huge stockpile of product in the current market. I am sure Apple has not throttled down production to create a sense of scarcity (they make money on units sold). The iPad 1 created and defined a sector. The iPad 2 is riding that success.

 

[Steelers7510]

Yeah I agree with the OP. I would have been perfectly fine if they waited a month or so from the announcement to launch the iPad 2. That way Apple would have plenty of time to build up stock and make their loyal customers happy. For some reason though they felt the need to jump the gun, and now here we are.

By the way I ordered a White 32GB White WiFi and still not yet shipped.

 

[shareef777]

Meh. It's pretty standard these days for armchair-CEO's to go on a rant about what a company should or shouldn't do. In cases talking about Apple launching without being "ready", the unspoken assumption is that it's somehow magically easy to gauge actual consumer demand for a product update.

If one of the armchair-CEO's actually *has* a better way to forecast demand, I bet Apple (and any number of other tech companies) would be more than happy to pay pretty good consulting rates for their expertise.
.

Of course it is, Apple needs 1,9310,2975,321,810 units. Steve, I'll take a corner office on the top floor with a reasonable consulting rate of $1,000,000 per hour.

 

[Arran]

Looks like Apple was just trying to beat it's competition...

"... I set my alarm and ordered mine at 12:06 PST"

See the irony there?

 

[bmat]

The logic doesn't follow through here. Last year there was a three and half month gap between the iPad being announced and launch and they still didnt have enough to satisfy demand. Launches in 'second wave' territories were delayed because the US launch was so successful.

They have to announce/launch at some point - they cant keep delaying it. They announced it when they knew they could launch successfully and get a decent amount of units in customers' hands without too long a delay.

I don't think they can do that on a second version. For the original iPad you can announce and release several months later because there is no option for anyone to buy anything different. The build up helps you, and it does not take away from pre-existing sales.

After you have the product on the market, it's much harder to do that when there are short life cycles. You announce an iPad 2 and then wait 2 months, and you've just killed your market for one-sixth the year.

What they did makes perfect sense to me.

 

[shareef777]

Yeah I agree with the OP. I would have been perfectly fine if they waited a month or so from the announcement to launch the iPad 2. That way Apple would have plenty of time to build up stock and make their loyal customers happy. For some reason though they felt the need to jump the gun, and now here we are.

By the way I ordered a White 32GB White WiFi and still not yet shipped.

Funny you mention loyal because half the people that say they're loyal customers and then go on a rant about a conspiracy of Apple withholding supplies. Always found that odd.

 

[newdeal]

...

I do not think Apple was originally going to deliver the iPad 2 for another month or so but they could not resist when they saw to the Zoom and other new tablets hitting the market before them! We were ALL surprised that the iPad 2 delivery date came with out a warning.

SO Apple got GREEDY and got us to all order now when they knew they did not have NEAR the stock to cover their orders.

Why should we not be surprised . . . . because they have done this in the past!

I dont agree at all. Clearly that have a ton of stock but it's just selling fast. The apple store in buffalo had well over 1000 units

 

[Tarzanman]

I wonder what percentage of new iPad 2 owners had an ipad 1?

 

[Deliverator007]

At least for in-store purchasing, it seems that a big part of the availability problem is that the US was released ahead of the rest of the world. I live in NYC and walk by the Fifth Avenue Apple Store every morning. Monday and Tuesday at 8:00 am (both cold mornings) there were about 200 to 300 people lined up, 98% Asian and speaking Asian languages, obviously buying for resale overseas. Today, a cold and rainy morning, there were more like 500 or 600 lined up, again, 98% Asian speaking Asian languages. It seems to be actually getting worse, as more people understand the profits that can be made. I've heard the same story for the other Apple Stores in NYC. If the release had been more global, the profit opportunity wouldn't exist, and somebody who actually wanted to purchase an iPad for their own use would actually be able to do so.

 

[PhoneI]

Apple already had a device available that beat the Xoom. The iPad 1 is a superior device. I don't buy these theories at all.

 

[Sodner]

At least for in-store purchasing, it seems that a big part of the availability problem is that the US was released ahead of the rest of the world. I live in NYC and walk by the Fifth Avenue Apple Store every morning. Monday and Tuesday at 8:00 am (both cold mornings) there were about 200 to 300 people lined up, 98% Asian and speaking Asian languages, obviously buying for resale overseas. Today, a cold and rainy morning, there were more like 500 or 600 lined up, again, 98% Asian speaking Asian languages. It seems to be actually getting worse, as more people understand the profits that can be made. I've heard the same story for the other Apple Stores in NYC. If the release had been more global, the profit opportunity wouldn't exist, and somebody who actually wanted to purchase an iPad for their own use would actually be able to do so.

Well thats not an issue in my city (Pittsburgh) but I'm not sure my Apple store is even getting any in.