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Heavy US Demand Delays iPad's Worldwide Release

Posted by samzenpus on from the supply-and-too-much-demand dept.

Dave Knott writes "The international launch of the iPad has been delayed until late May, a one month setback from the original launch window of late April. Citing Apple's press release: 'Although we have delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week, demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad. We have also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models for delivery by the end of April.' International pricing will be announced on May 10, at which time international pre-orders are expected to begin."

7 of 314 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Marketing by vijayiyer · · Score: 4, Informative

    Microsoft spends almost twice as much as Apple as a percentage of revenue on marketing. Apple spends about the same amount as Dell.

    http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2009/10/28/apples-2009-ad-budget-half-a-billion/

    Could it be that people actually want products that you don't?

  2. Re:Marketing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yes, there really was no announcement on release date before Apple said they will be delaying it. Marketing at its finest.

    Well here in Australia they where saying it would be released at the end of April, it has now been changed to late May.

  3. Re:Marketing by ronin510 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here are a few press releases before this press release:

    March 5th, UK - End of April launch http://www.nma.co.uk/news/apple-announces-april-uk-release-date-for-ipad/3010816.article
    March 5th, European release - End of April launch http://www.cln-online.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=612:ipadrelease&catid=40:industry&Itemid=135

    In a post below you said you'd eat your hat. Can you post that on youtube? Thanks.

  4. iPad banned in Israel already by S3D · · Score: 4, Informative

    In bizarre move Israel Ministry of Truth... err Communications banned iPad. Custom officials already confiscating iPads at airport. Incompatibility with Wi-Fi standard given as the reason. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1162992.html

  5. Re:Marketing by BasilBrush · · Score: 3, Informative

    I don't think much of your research. That's from October last year. The report from the same company is widely available for Feb this year, and it has Apple on 25.4% and MS on 15.1%.
    http://comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2010/4/comScore_Reports_February_2010_U.S._Mobile_Subscriber_Market_Share

    Worldwide, they both do less well, because Symbian is still holding on ot the lion's share. Apple 15.1%, Microsoft 8.8%.
    http://www.canalys.com/pr/2010/r2010021.html

    and the number of windows mobile applications vastly outnumbers the number of iPhone applications (by about 10 times I wager)

    Worst bet ever. Number of apps on Microsoft's own Windows Marketplace for Mobile = 872. Number of Apps on iTunes = 185,000.

  6. Re:Marketing by LKM · · Score: 3, Informative

    Apple's announcement makes it clear that they are not selling more because they can't produce them fast enough. We won't know how many they can actually sell until they manage to fill the channels.

  7. Re:Not it is not by BasilBrush · · Score: 3, Informative

    Some people who used to have clipboards have already switched them out with specialized pads. See: FedEx.

    Of course. Which is one of the things that proves my point. People are already using touchscreen devices for work. The iPad will also be used for work.

    Chances are someone that still uses a clipboard is filling out some sort of form. Policy may require that these forms be filled out by hand and signed. So, while some people who carry clipboards may be able to switch to one (or another pad for that matter), not all will.

    MAY require? Policy MAY require that they use the iPad issued to them to fill out the form on the exterprise app its supplied with.

    I'd prefer it if pilots would, I don't know, fly the plane. In fact, they may be forbidden by policy to carry electronic devices due to recent problems with Texting causing crashes (See: Continental Connection flight 3407)

    Which just shows your ignorance of flying planes. Pilots have been buying apps to help with piloting planes since the very first PDAs came out. It's not a distraction from piloting, it *IS* piloting. And pilots already use such apps on the iPhone. Regardless of what you in your ignorance would prefer they do.

    The iPad doesn't have a video output. You'd need a USB (or Bluetooth) projector, or you're out of luck. This is also assuming there's an app for that.

    Now that's the dumbest thing you said, because a look at the tech specs would have shown you that the iPad comes with a dock connector that you can plug a VGA or composite video cable into. Just as you could with the iPhone and iPod touch before it.

    Furthermore, of course theres an app for that. Keynote, part of iWork. Announced the same day as the iPad. Available the same day as teh iPad came out. Better than Powerpoint. And again if you'd bothered to look you would have seen that output via VGA or composite cable is specified as a feature to be used with that app. http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/keynote.html

    Yes, and light data tasks are all a touchscreen is good for. You really need a keyboard for anything heavier, or even, say, writing a letter.

    Yes, they're good for light data entry tasks. Which is why I said as much. But a letter is certainly within the easy capability of an iPad's touch screen. You just wouldn't want to spend all day writing letters on one.