This is exactly what many of the readers of MacRumors fail to understand, they are in a tiny minority and most of the rest of the world fall into the same category as your wife. They like using the kit but could not care less about what is inside it.
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Retina iPad Mini Launch Supplies Set to Be 'Ridiculously Tight' Until Early 2014
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This is exactly what many of the readers of MacRumors fail to understand, they are in a tiny minority and most of the rest of the world fall into the same category as your wife. They like using the kit but could not care less about what is inside it.
With the new iPad Air being so think and light, I may opt for that instead of the mini anyways. The thing that makes me use my mini now is I like how it feels and it's not heavy. My iPad 3rd gen is heavy as hell and I kind of avoid it for the most part.
I'm just using your quote for demonstration purposes. Lots of people want the latest Apple product, and I bet a big percentage go for the Air on day one. Two weeks later (when the return window is closed), many of those same people will be in line for the Retina Mini. It would be interesting to find last year's sales figures, and see how many people bought an iPad 4 and a Mini.
I'm not knocking Apple, as they are a business. Their business has a hungry base of devoted fans, sort of like the Cabbage Patch Doll craze. If you can cash in on that sort of thing, more power to you.
I'm making moves to break free of iTunes so I can jump ship to Nexus 7 as soon as VZW gets off their butts and certifies it.
Apple charges premium pricing because people are willing to pay. That's not me anymore.
Apple charges premium pricing because people are willing to pay. That's not me anymore.
Apple doesn't want to miss out on the holiday season. It's better to go to market with 2 million when demand is 4 million than to miss the season entirely. Strike while the iron is hot. There is no way they are trying to create "hype" by not having enough product. The most successful iPad launch to date was last year when they had plenty of product.
I'm just using your quote for demonstration purposes. Lots of people want the latest Apple product, and I bet a big percentage go for the Air on day one. Two weeks later (when the return window is closed), many of those same people will be in line for the Retina Mini. It would be interesting to find last year's sales figures, and see how many people bought an iPad 4 and a Mini.
I'm not knocking Apple, as they are a business. Their business has a hungry base of devoted fans, sort of like the Cabbage Patch Doll craze. If you can cash in on that sort of thing, more power to you.
I'm just replacing an iPad3 so I won't be getting both models. I was originally leaning toward a Retina Mini, but the fact that the iPad Air is much lighter than then iPad3 made it a harder choice. Either way it'll be a huge improvement over what I have.
I disagree somewhat. The Retina Display vs non-Retina Display is a difference that you can literally see without any technical knowledge. Everything just looks sharper.
I agree that 64-bit, A7, RAM, etc. are meaningless to most people. However, even non-tech-savvy people know that technology changes quickly, and that having "this year's model" is "better." My sister purchased the iPhone 5s (coming from an ancient BlackBerry). The 5c would have been way more than enough, but she never even considered it since it was "last year's phone" in a new case.
I just hope I can get one immediately - my wife is flying overseas on January 7th and wants a new mini specifically for that flight, so I hope the preorders aren't at the very end of November with shipping into late December/early January, but I suspect that's going to be the case.
Why because only "techies" can appreciate crisp text? I'd agree with you that 99.9% don't care about the specifics of a machines the guts - proc type, RAM, etc to the extent it's adequate to support a superior user experience, but screen quality is something anyone with sight can discern. It's why 4K will be the next big thing by the end of the decade.
Hmm...
What is MacRumors going to do in their Buyer's Guide?
Will the iPad mini retina go yellow in January while still supply-constrained?
Will the folks on this forum (you know who you are), the ones who won't buy an Apple product within six months of its estimated replacement date because they want to get the latest/greatest/most future-proof product, have to skip this one?
What is MacRumors going to do in their Buyer's Guide?
Will the iPad mini retina go yellow in January while still supply-constrained?
Will the folks on this forum (you know who you are), the ones who won't buy an Apple product within six months of its estimated replacement date because they want to get the latest/greatest/most future-proof product, have to skip this one?
Surprise!
Another fabricated low supply announcement to cause fanatics to run to stores and get a product.
I suspect preorders are not what Apple had hoped so announcements like these will help those on the fence to bite.
Another fabricated low supply announcement to cause fanatics to run to stores and get a product.
I suspect preorders are not what Apple had hoped so announcements like these will help those on the fence to bite.
As someone who recently sold their iPad Mini to get the Nexus 7 let me share my experiences. Yes Android app store is normally cheaper, the hardware is a fraction of the cost, and the Nexus 7 is capable of everything the iPad is and then some (namely emulators for my purpose).
However, after using an iPad Mini for nearly a year I can say these things:
- The touchscreen in the Nexus 7 is not as precise as you get with a Mini.
- The OS is not as stable, mine reboots at least once a day on heavy use days.
- The apps are not as well written, one example is World Series of Poker, works perfect on iOS - won't run on android.
Just keep those things in consideration before writing off the mini for the nexus. The ecosystem is just one piece of the puzzle. I'll likely keep my Nexus for the emulators but get another iPad to replace the one I sold.
Sure but is that any worse than news stories that will come about disappointed customers who can't find a mini for their grandma? Or that Apple is playing a "bait & switch" flavored game? Or articles suggesting Tim Cook's Apple can't find its groove with timely manufacturing? (Unfair as it might be -- it's the media & Apple bashing sells).
Announcing a virtually unobtainable product, as we saw with the iMac 27" last year peeves customers - hardly good PR. As said the Air is pretty close to mini's weight. Easy for Apple to divert attention to the Air & away from the absence of high res mini.
I feel bad for the retail employees
My thoughts go out to the poor souls in the Retail Stores that will ultimately have to deal with this issue. Being an ex-Apple Retail Specialist and Business Specialist, many times I have had to try and explain to a super-pissed mother or grandmother that couldn't get a hold of an iPhone 4S when it came out or an iPhone 5 when it came out. Customers seem to think that the retail employee is responsible for them not having them in stock.
Next time you are in an Apple Store and the Specialist kindly informs you that there are constraints on the devices, please understand that they HATE saying that and that if they could control it, there would be NO inventory constraints.
It's going to be a rough Holiday for these guys. Great, awesome product just in time for Christmas, and may not even have them in the stores, or very little.
My thoughts go out to the poor souls in the Retail Stores that will ultimately have to deal with this issue. Being an ex-Apple Retail Specialist and Business Specialist, many times I have had to try and explain to a super-pissed mother or grandmother that couldn't get a hold of an iPhone 4S when it came out or an iPhone 5 when it came out. Customers seem to think that the retail employee is responsible for them not having them in stock.
Next time you are in an Apple Store and the Specialist kindly informs you that there are constraints on the devices, please understand that they HATE saying that and that if they could control it, there would be NO inventory constraints.
It's going to be a rough Holiday for these guys. Great, awesome product just in time for Christmas, and may not even have them in the stores, or very little.
Another? When did Apple intentionally short a product to goose interest? Evidence please. All I've ever read is Internet Tin Foil Hat on Black Helicopter theories.
Also how can preorders not have met expectations since Apple isn't allowing them? Was there a Freemasons meeting to devine this?
I'd rather if they were somehow limited... like... send them 15 minutes after it's posted to the site, and if more stories were posted while it waited to send, roll them all into one update.
Here is what Apple should do - make the release date of any and all products to be the date that they have enough stock on hand to send to every person who will want to buy the product.
In the case of the iPhone 5s, well, it shouldn't be released yet since clearly they still don't have enough stock for the demand world wide.
In the case of the iPad Mini, instead of releasing it for this holiday season, they should release it in the spring. You know, it would make for a great Easter present.
Sound like a better plan?
I really don't understand why they are having such an issue here. Nexus and kindle can do it at pretty much at the same dpi so what's the holdup? I guess apple is a pretty new company and didn't really have the resources to plan for something like this. I feel like every other product the put out is on shortage because of some part that they knew they would need. coincidence or marketing tactic?
I know it takes a lot to make these products and I know they sell more of each than most companies but they either have the worst supply chain manager or they do this on purpose.
I know it takes a lot to make these products and I know they sell more of each than most companies but they either have the worst supply chain manager or they do this on purpose.
Yes, you missed that the estimated production capability for the whole quarter would be only 2.2 million, that's a really really low number.