MacBook Air Selling Out

[MacRumors]

As noted by ArsTechnica, Apple's MacBook Air appears to be running in short supply both at Apple Stores and major retailers.

After a full month of being on the market, the MacBook Air is still a difficult commodity to obtain in some markets (not all), and Apple is still quoting a 5-7 business day minimum shipping time even for the most standard models ordered from its web site.

Meanwhile, Amazon won't be shipping orders until March 16 now, and many customers who run to a Best Buy thinking they'll find one hiding out there will be surprised: there aren't many to go around. One Best Buy source (not a retail floor worker) told me that Apple has kept them pretty thin on stock.

The cause of the short supply is currently unknown: whither it be short supply of components or high demand for the diminutive notebook, however Ars notes that stores that do receive stock often sell out within a day.

See Also: Apple Store MacBook Air Availability Tool

Article Link

 

[Grimace]

There definitely is a market for it -- even though it might not appeal to all of us geeks at MR!

 

[Eidorian]

I'm glad that someone is buying it even if it's not my cup of tea.

 

[DMann]

Air

There definitely is a market for it -- even though it might not appeal to all of us geeks at MR!

Great news!

 

[clevin]

waiting for data, again

we got more rumors and news, while get no data......

 

[justflie]

I'm a little surprised, but good for Apple!

 

[tcoleman]

waiting for data, again

we got more rumors and news, while get no data......

The site is called MacRumors.

 

[nagromme]

I doubt it's selling as well as the regular MacBooks and the 15" Pros, since the Air is aimed at a narrower audience. But if all the shortage means* is that demand exceeds what Apple expected, that's no bad thing!

And it's not surprising to me: Apple hasn't had anything to offer ultraportable users for some time. Now, at last, they do! (Despite the amusing myth we've heard shrieked from rooftops, that most ultraportable users aren't interested in portability--they need to carry wheelbarrows full of spare batteries and USB devices. Funny how nobody steps up and says they ARE an ultraportable user who carries 5 USB devices at all times but can't make room in the bag for a tiny hub )

* Unfortunately, that's not all the shortage means. It also means that my Air still shows no signs of shipping from Amazon

 

[oclor]

After playing with a display model at best buy, I'm not surprised by this news. Amazing laptop, I'd love to have one. Makes my macbook seem way too heavy and thick...

 

[cyberjunky]

Perhaps apple is either trialling it, but with confidence, or are trying to create a market for it by making it sought after. What you cant have you always want, when you get it you realise you never wanted it in the first place.

 

[PharmD]

Its the Wii of notebooks!

 

[ChrisA]

It must be hard for Apple to guess how well (or not) the Macbook Air would sell. They had to set up the production line (or contract for one to be set up) and place parts for orders based on a guess. The setup for production had to be done months before the product was even announced. If they guessed low they'd have the problems we see now but if they guessed high there would be stacks of these things i some warehouse. I think what Apple did was to go conservative and not build to many. Now that Apple has some real-world sale data they should be able to fine tune how many are built

So I don't think it is either a parts shortage or a huge demand, just a slight mis-match between the number build and the number sold.

 

[SimonTheSoundMa]

Maybe in short demand because an update imminent?


Ok, kidding. I have seen plenty of them around here being used in Birmingham, UK.

 

[elppa]

“The next cube”

I wouldn't buy one, but this news is funny as so many pundits and columnists and experts were quick to line up one by one to pan the device.

Very good news for Apple, the Mac is going so strongly at the moment. I hope Apple can keep up the momentum with more great software too. It's also great Apple can make money from their R&D projects. I have no doubts the Air gives us several ideas as to where the MacBook family is headed in the future.

 

[uNext]

i HIGHLY DOUBT IS DEMAND.

everytime i go to an apple store
people play with it but then look towards the macbook.

I really dont understand the logic behind apple putting demos of the air next to the macbook. When people start comparing they see that for the money the macbook tops it in every way.

They should promote it next to the mbp's since both are silver and give a pro feeling.
Sell them a pro-entry computer.
or simply on a desk by itself.
Not clever marketing wise at all and apple should know better then to do that.

 

[kornyboy]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

This is interesting to say the least, especially the part that states that most retail locations sell out within a day that don't receive stock often. It sounds like there is a pretty good market for it despite the fact that it seems really target to a particular user group. I wonder how many of the people that have bought one also bought the superdrive. It would be interesting to see how people have responded to not having an optical drive.

 

[rjflyn]

Well a new college semester just recently started so who know maybe more than one well of student bought it. I for one am looking at the Macbooks, with the recent update the prior addition will be one the refurb store.

Rj

 

[iAmLegend]

Talk about home-made hype. I have yet to see a single MBA in the wild. Then again, I do live in a small market, non-tech buying place called MANHATTAN! Shame on Apple for trying to fool us.

 

[emotion]

“The next cube”

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the comparison.

However, this might, if true (which I doubt), encourage Apple to make the Macbook Air into something that's less limited for no reason.

 

[HLdan]

It's amazing how many of the naysayers (the one's that really wanted one but couldn't afford it) said it wouldn't sell and Apple may discontinue it now the AIR is selling so well stock levels aren't kept up.

 

[clevin]

It's amazing how many of the naysayers (the one's that really wanted one but couldn't afford it) said it wouldn't sell and Apple may discontinue it now the AIR is selling so well stock levels aren't kept up.

do you have any data?

 

[Maccus Aurelius]

i HIGHLY DOUBT IS DEMAND.

everytime i go to an apple store
people play with it but then look towards the macbook.

I really dont understand the logic behind apple putting demos of the air next to the macbook. When people start comparing they see that for the money the macbook tops it in every way.

They should promote it next to the mbp's since both are silver and give a pro feeling.
Sell them a pro-entry computer.
or simply on a desk by itself.
Not clever marketing wise at all and apple should know better then to do that.

Are you serious?

The Macbook provides more power, identical display real estate and more ports, but it doesn't match or exceed every aspect of the Air. The Air has a much tighter build than both the Macbook and Macbook pro, is a lighter weight, more rigid, sturdy design, has the LED backlit display and has some of the little aesthetic niceties that were generally reserved only for the Powerbook/Macbook Pro, such as the backlit keyboard. I personally find more use in my Blackbook over an Air, but there are lots of things about the Air that I wish my Macbook had.

What difference does it make where they situate these? Customers in the store will likely compare them all anyway. If someone overlooks the Air and decides to get a Macbook or Macbook Pro, Apple still gets money, but if there are no Macbook Airs to demo, people are less likely to buy one in the store.

 

[CrackedButter]

I really wished that Apple had released the 12" MacBook Pro that everybody was hoping for along side the 13" MacBook Air at the same time.

People could then choose between thin and light, or small and feature laden. Then we would see how popular the MBA would be. For the time being, I don't care.

However, if the introduction of the MBA forces 3rd party manufacturers to create wireless pen drives, wireless hard drives and other wireless accessories to counter the MBA's contrived connectivity options then that's fine. It would fit in with how the iMac changed the industry by including USB and I'm happy with that because I would expect those products to work with other Macs.

I do think the MBA is 2 years early (but then we can use the Wayne Gretsky quote here and Apple has forseen such a wireless future) because on the horizon is wireless power charging, wireless USB and wireless firewire and its then when the MacBook Air justifies its name and I would be more inclined to buy one.

 

[Mr.PS]

Probably small updates to address issues. Fans, LED display, and the case separate that lets light thru. Who knows maybe a 120GB SSD option?

 

[rikers_mailbox]

lookit, Apple isn't stupid. They know that Air occupies a niche product category, so they're not producing them in huge numbers. Managing stock levels is just good business. (please - someone tell american car manufacturers.)

I think this is all part of the product-plan for the Air. Sell small numbers at a high price (w/ good margin) to offset R&D costs for now. Later, Air will come down in cost and well see a price reduction, as well as either new technology or Air technology available on other platforms. Folks, it's all part of the strategy. No surprise.