Apple iPad 2 shipping time slides to a month as shortages persist

By on Mar 15, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Retail March 15, 2011

Some Apple Store locations may or may not be releasing a second wave of iPad 2 shipments to the public today, but potential buyers who would prefer not to deal with the chaos are in for some bad news this morning. Shipping times have varied a great deal in the short time since the iPad 2 was launched last week. Most recently, Apple listed shipping quotes of between two and three weeks. With rumors of new shipments floating around, many had hoped these shipping delays would be reduced as new inventory reached U.S. shores, but unfortunately that’s not yet the case. Apple’s online store now shows increased shipping delays of between four and five weeks, meaning orders placed today might not arrive for over a month. Apple’s shipping quotes typically err on the side of caution, however, so those who order the tablet today can expect to be pleasantly surprised when their iPad 2 ships early.

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  • Calvin Williams

    Heavy demand for such minor improvements. Thats genius marketing for you.

    • Anonymous

      I haven’t seen a single ipad2 tv ad yet so maybe it’s something Magical.

      • Bringit

        soooo original.

    • http://twitter.com/MJSheed Matt

      What is your definition of major improvements? The iPad 2 is better in so many ways, they aren’t creating a new product, just improving on the first generation. It’s lighter, thinner, a lot faster, plus it has cameras and all the while the software continues to improve. I think it’s pretty solid.

    • Anonymous

      I still don’t understand this argument…they share no parts..like…at all.

      People compare the ipad 2 with the iphone 3gs, when the iphone 3gs shared every external component, and several internal ones.

      Other than the fact that the back is made out of aluminum, and the front is made out of glass…the hardware is completely different.

    • Scorp

      Minor improvements still stomp the competition.

      • Anonymous

        Thanks to marketing, not innovation.

    • Anonymous

      Don’t like it get a xoom there’s plenty to go around.

    • Anonymous

      Have you used the first one to say the ipad 2 has as you say “minor improvments”?

      • Anonymous

        Bought my mom the original for Christmas, my wife just bought the iPad2, I’ve spent time with both versions. He is right, there isn’t much from the user perspective that has changed between the two versions. The second one is thinner and lighter and has front and rear camera’s, that’s about it. What else has changed? Sure the processor is different, but most people won’t know the difference.

      • Anonymous

        how do you make a device that is smooth aluminum on the back, and glass on the front look much different without changing to OS dramatically? The only things you could really do are make it thinner, change the profile, and maybe bevel and edge.

        Beveled edges aren’t really apple’s thing right now.

        You could make a bunch of badges/vents/leds and make it look like an alienware product, but that’s not likely.

        You could make it a circle, instead of a rectangle, but that would be hard to hold, and wouldn’t match up to any video format.

        You could add a billion ports onto the side, but we know that’s not going to happen.

        What are you looking for here? a fold out keyboard and an optical drive? that’s called a laptop, dude.

  • Anonymous

    my apple store didnt get any more today

  • Coach83

    Whether the improvements are minor or major, there’s no excuse for there to be wait times of 1 month for a product that came out 4 days ago!
    Apple goes through this every year with the iPhone, so this notion of “surprising demand” for their iPad is nonsense.

    • Scorp

      Going through this with the iPhone is not the same as the iPad. Afterall the first is a device that can be purchased at 200 while the latter is 500 at the least. Also, it about availability of parts as well. Since they aren’t the only ones making tablets, manufacturers don’t have parts solely for iPads. The lines were nothing like this last year and I’m pretty sure they were expecting a lot but I’m also pretty sure they would rather sell and iPad than keep people waiting. That’s pretty obvious.

      • barry egan

        actually no. iphone 1 launched at 499/599. price dropped by 100 shortly afterwards with itunes store gift cards given to any initial purchasers. there was no subsidy, you just bought it and walked out to go activate in itunes. it did sell out in the initial time and it was a wait around a month to be able to go and buy it on demand at most locations.

        i think apple could have marketed a device that’s tablet like, not attempting to enter phone/text capability terrirtory, sticking to its expertise achieved with iPod brand, but boldy they decided to be a smartphone… an iPod that you also plugged in to the internet, for your email, sms, maps, and get phone calls and better voicemail. that’s about all it had. not even the app store SDK. lots of people just laughed at it as not even a smartphone. but i tell you its browser was beyond anything achieved in a handheld before that point in user experience.

        the iPad is the realization of this ideal, this is why it makes sense as the ultimate goal of their post-PC products, now that developers are on board and the OS has been honed over 4 generations. all past launches have been a buildup to this

  • Hackman22

    That’s peoples obsession with Apple products

    How about making these in the US

    • Anonymous

      No f*cking way, we are busy doing better things. If we shift crappy jobs elsewhere it gives the people better chances of finding good jobs here.

      • Anonymous

        Better things….like what. We stop “making things” along ass time ago.

      • keymaker

        You got a good point there buddy, i got to hand it to you.

    • Anonymous

      Good idea make then in the US. ipads 2 now starting at $1999.

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6HpRLyzMY Walter Sobchak

      Then they would be really shitty. Made by some punk, Hipster stoner, or some old drunk bastard. There is no more honor here in doing an honest day’s work for someone else.

  • Anonymous

    These things sell cause they’re easy to use. There’s a market for people that find PCs in general, hard to use. Android tablets are nice but there’s no market for them. There’s nothing that a Xoom can offer you that a cheap netbook can’t do better, same could be said about the iPad if it wasn’t so freggin easy to use.

    • serpentor

      I’m sure you said the same thing about Android phones when the G1 came out.

    • Anonymous

      I started to use a Mac for my career and never looked back and the iPhone was an extension of that. If folks like to use PCs and PC-esque type products go for Android and leave the iPad alone.

      • Anonymous

        I told you I could be coerced muñequita! :-)

    • numetheus

      Not true. A cheap netbook won’t replace a tablet even if it wssnt as easy to use as an iPad. The xoom is an awesome device. I just can’t use one because Android lacks capability to connect to a Cisco VPN concentrator, so it’s useless for work. But a tablet gives me something no netbooks can … Mobility. For work I can just pull out my tablet and show people data without sitting down or finding a place to rest my device. You can’t do that as easily on a netbook. Sure if it’s small enough you can use it standing, but the OS makes it cumbersome. And I have to wait for things to load and navigate to my files. An iPad or Android tablet let’s me open things instantly without waiting with just a few taps on the move. You don’t realize how much more convenient a tablet is unless you use one. Now even a little netbook feels like a cumbersome work tool. And I haven’t seen a netbook last 10 hours on a charge under constant use unless you are using extended batteries.

      • Anonymous

        You are aware that you’re contradicting yourself right. OEMs have been making tablet PCs for years but guess what, they’re not easy to use. I bought my father who has never even touch a PC, one of these puppies last year and within a week he was doing emails paying bills trading stocks and the hole nine yards lol.

  • zzzzzyzzx

    I suggest that Apple has purposely slowed down the supply to fix the light leak issue and yellow spotting issue on the screen. any thoughts.

    • Anonymous

      I don’t think Apple was ever ready to release it, but made a decision to rush it in order to head of any possible competition. Most people that are purchasing an ip2 right now probably wouldn’t consider another competing device, but this was a good move to take any of the folks that were on the fence to plunk down an order now, even if they have to wait for it.

      • Scorp

        I’m pretty sure they didn’t rush it.What competing device? The Xoom? That already came out and collecting dust as we type.

      • Scorp

        exactly. These other companies aren’t ready to release. They rushed out garbage products. Apple could have wait until May if they wanted to and still have the same demand. No cares cares about the Xoom and other care less about the playbook.

  • Anonymous

    Love the comment below from meske… Apple wasnt ready to release?
    Isnt this the same argument that has been made from all the blogs about the Xoom because it didnt come with flash, sd card or LTE at launch? At least I can buy a Xoom and get those things in the next few weeks without having to purchase a new device. iPad 2 will NEVER have any of those 3 things…

    And yet, the Apple sheep flock to it like its the next coming of Jesus…

    I have no problem with the iPad 2. Its a great device.

    I do have a problem with the idiot sheep who buy it no matter what just because its Apple. No research, no comparisons, nothing. Its apple, therefore its amazing. No matter what the specs or whatever…

    Ugh…

    • Anonymous

      While I definitely think a good chunk of the problem is people not bothering to educate themselves in the slightest, don’t sell Apple’s marketing short. They do a great job. Just compare last years iPod commercials to this years superbowl Xoom commercial. The former sold a lot of experience in 30 seconds, the latter…..well people still aren’t sure what that sold. :)

    • kentadams

      Those sheep? Well those sheep are evenly split between Mac and PC users and 70% were first time iPad buyers.

      You can continue to lie to yourself if you want and call other people names, but you might want to check your facts first.

    • Anonymous

      Do you really think we so called “idiot sheep” just buy apple because it’s apple? What do you you care what we spend our money on? The ipad has had a sd card since it came out it’s just a adaptor so you use it as needed. As far as flash goes. Nobody care about flash anymore man. Almost every website works with ios video and all. As of last couple months 63 percent of Web videos no longer require Flash. Adobe themselves are launching a Flash-to-HTML5 conversion tool. As far as LTE goes its way too new and in very few places so what good would it be? The xoom is better spec wise and has all the stuff you say it has and how’s that working out for them? They sell on average 2 a day that’s great. All them specs and the flash and lte which it don’t have at the moment and the ipad still smokes it.

      • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6HpRLyzMY Walter Sobchak

        Ah….. did the little troll get butthurt?

      • Anonymous

        I know Walt! Work getting easier lately? Will I see you at the Thunderbolt Launch???? It will rock baby!

      • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR6HpRLyzMY Walter Sobchak

        Wait are we friends now?
        I’m not ecstatic about the TB launch. I would like a bit more of a future proofed handset. Even though I always do 1 year contracts, technology moves too fast. I will be upgrading my incredible to the $30 unlimited lte plan just to grandfather in though, and have high hopes for the Droid incredibler 3 4g lte OS 3.1 this summer. Have you seen those lte speed tests? Jesus that would be insane unlimited!
        No, hours haven’t become less crazy, I have just become more stressed and I like to tune in for a little relief.

      • Anonymous

        Hey you leave my Gsheep ZAPATITO alone! We love Google and will do and buy anything Google because Google rocks the universe!!!!!

    • Anonymous

      I agree ZAPATITO! We only buy what Google tells us because Google is smarter and so are we! And Google is a lot more subtle in how they command us!!!!!

  • http://twitter.com/MJSheed Matt

    I’m surprised people are still baffled by shortages of product from Apple. This is all calculated. They are doing this on purpose to create hysteria, Apple knows America all too well.

    Shortages aren’t going to stop people from getting what they want. It’s really incredible how they’ve created this demand for something that shouldn’t get this much hype.

    • kentadams

      Apple relies on your type of logic to thump their competition and keep them befuddled as Jobs said in his intro to the iPad 2. Apple says thank you for posting this all over the internet. The competition listens to you and people like you so they are very thankful.

  • Anonymous

    I heard Motorola is having the same problem with the xoom.

    ….sarcasm

  • Anonymous

    Apple marketing, plain and simple. Adding weeks to delivery time doesn’t increase actual shipping times, only demand, and those on the fence say to themselves “Oh god, better get one now before it’s TWO MONTHS!!!” and hit buy. Surprise to them when it shows up a week or so later, much earlier than predicted then they think that they just got lucky.

    • Anonymous

      Nice theory, adn it would be a good marketing ploy. However my iPhone 4 purchased on launch day arrived about 2 days earlier than the initial estimate so there was no gross exaggeration there.

  • http://twitter.com/LilKimWorldWide Lil’KimWorldWide

    Well Apparently Apple Has The MAGIC STICK

    • Anonymous

      and apparently they are beating the hell out of motorola with it

  • Cornbread

    But wait, no flash. Can’t customize. Xoom is better. How can this be??? Great marketing or a best in class device? Both. The former earns you some sales, the latter responsible for the earth shattering desire to own it.

  • Anonymous

    I would love to know how many were sold in that first wave. I was going to order online but when I woke up the shipping time was so long I tried Best Buy.
    I was second in line at 1230, by 5pm there was at least 200 people and they had said earlier they only had 45 in stock so I believe the wait times are in the ballpark.
    I like the portability and the fact that it can easily do about 95% of what I use my $1200 PC laptop for.

  • Kent

    First of all, let me preface this by saying that I like the ipad 2 and will buy it. I think Apple is a first rate company with a first rate product line up. But while this “shortage” appears part demand related, it also is being driven by the fact that Apple didn’t make enough initial units and maybe even rushed to get this out a little early, maybe driven by the onslaught of competition that is coming (Xoom, playbook, etc.). Maybe it is a brilliant marketing move to pump up the hype, but how on earth are they going to launch in those additional cities when they can’t even deliver to the US right now within this month?

  • http://twitter.com/michelebot michelebot

    So…..they launched before they had enough inventory just to say they launched before the others.

    • Anonymous

      or they were going off ipad 1 numbers to gauge demand and didn’t want to tie up capital in inventory that might take months to get rid of. Naturally, they played it safe. The sad part is, people will wait a month for a backordered ipad 2. I ordered one launch day that will be here today, but I am thinking about selling it on ebay now, because the backlog gives me the perfect opportunity to make a couple hundred bucks over retail selling to people who can’t wait to get one (but were too lazy to order one online at 3 AM or were number 100 in line at a store with 99 ipads.) Capitalism, aint it grand?

  • Max

    Playbook ship date:

    Whenever the hell you want it! Want it now???? You sure???

  • Anonymous

    it’s like beating a dead dog to the point of severe mutilation… well after it has died. it’s yin and yang, it’s love and hate, it’s good and evil, etc. everybody likes what they like, and if it isn’t an ipad, apple, or any of it’s products, that’s fine. but the adamant hatred towards a wildly successful has become tiresome. the ipad is selling like gangbusters while some just can’t let it sink into their dense skulls. it must be marketing, the hardware isn’t much better than version one. you can offer a million different reasons, but the point remains… consumers like it… end of story. this isn’t a hardware spec ware. it’s a usability and enjoyment war… duh? i look forward to the touchpad from hp running webos, and the xoom from motorola running google’s honeycomb. but take my word, the ipad might not have the most beef under the hood, but their hardware is maximized to squeeze every drop of juice, as the benchmarks are reporting. and the bottom line is… if somebody likes a product for whatever reason… isn’t that good enough? in the end, it doesn’t matter why you criticize another for buying warez you condemn. just get over it already and move forward and enjoy life.

  • Anonymous

    It’s because APPLE is so afraid of Android tablets that’s coming out and doesn’t wants to loose in their PC Tablet market. Now their out of stock for a few short weeks. This is another thing I hate bout APPLE they rush out their products in a year or two just to make people to force to buy their products then always comes out with a new one later down the road

  • http://www.facebook.com/dimitrios.scott Doc Scott

    It’s not all bad news… I got $400 for my first Gen iPad, ordered the 16Gb White iPad 2, for $100 plus tax difference, yet for my inconvenience, Apple gave me a Leather iPad Smart Cover free of charge because I had a order issue. So it’s like I paid $30 to upgrade plus tax. God is true Good.

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