Keep in mind that some of these blow out numbers may not be real.
If the number is said by an analyst sure. But when Apple releases numbers they are real. Because the units sell. There's no shipping to a channel that might or might not have ever left the store stock room. on a launch weekend in particular every unit will find a home and typically on the first day. A few dregs will be around on Saturday but that's it.
----------
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's rather unusual for Apple to comment on sales like this? Cook's initiative perhaps and it sure makes for a friendlier more open Apple, but the question is if this is really what they need. Maybe the closed off mystique was partially what had Apple going.
You're wrong. Apple has often made such vague comments before. And in a week or two they will announce the actual numbers sold.
What they don't do is announce when the units will ship to the stores, how many, what models etc. They won't pre announce that they were able to make only 50 million units for this two week world wide launch or how many were allocated for ship to home preorders, how many to each country etc
----------
Every time I hear someone claiming this kind of nonsense, it makes me wonder. Every company knows that if you miss an opportunity to sell, the opportunity might be gone.
Not so true with Apple. Folks that really want it will wait out the supply issues. THe only folks that won't are those that weren't sure they wanted to buy it and generally end up not, or buying and returning a week later anyway. Better to have them not burning a unit that could go to someone that definitely wants it. A group which will be plenty big enough to suit Apple.
Then add on top of that schools etc that will force families to buy iPads or will buy in bulk and loan them to the kids (after submission of a contract and $500 deposit in case of loss etc) and Apple really will have numbers they can live with
----------
No seriously, look at the Verizon iPhone where there was plenty of stock
That bit of difference was due to everyone being certain there was going to be a new phone in June so why buy at that moment. Then it turned out that Apple was planning to move the iPhone to later in the year, which is probably why they went ahead and did the Jan release to shut folks up with their demands.
----------
As of late last evening, all of the units were listed as "Ships by March 19th." Then suddenly, this morning, a 2-3 week wait on all units.
it's called selling out of the supply
I'm beginning to think that this is being done simply to drive traffic to stores, and create lines and the requisite publicity, on launch day.
Not at all. They allocate amounts to the stores and to the online system and the online sold out. They don't need to play games to get traffic etc. They are one of the few companies that never saw a recession because folks just kept coming even without a new product, etc
----------
Rhetorical question; how do they afford the iPad then? That's a whole lot of justification going on there.
who says it is there money. they might have ordered one online already and are waiting to buy the 2 allowed units each (or whatever the in store limit is) with someone else's cash and perhaps are even being paid more cash to sit there so that said other party doesn't have to.
