iPad: 50,000 sales in 2 hours, Apple TV bumped, mysterious app icon

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
The introduction of the iPad Friday morning sold an estimated 50,000 units in two hours, and also bumped Apple's "hobby," the Apple TV, from the front page of its online store. Also, a mysterious icon included in iPad promotional pictures gains attention, and Apple has expanded its site to explain features of the coming hardware in greater detail.



iPad sales estimated at 25,000 per hour



After it went on sale at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Friday, the iPad is estimated to have sold 51,000 in its first two hours. As discovered by Philip Elmer-DeWitt at Fortune Brainstorm Tech, users at the Investor Village AAPL Sanity Board took their order numbers and attempted to crack the code to figure out total sales.



Victor Castroll, analyst with Valcent Financial Group and member of the AAPL Sanity Board, has been monitoring the spreadsheet and came up with the calculation of 51,000 units in the first two hours.



iPad preorder bumps Apple TV from front page of online store



In accepting preorders for the iPad on Friday, Apple made some minor adjustments to the front page of its online store. As a result, the Apple TV product and its accompanying picture were bumped and are no longer featured atop the store's main page.



The Apple TV used to be featured prominently alongside the company's line iPods, the iPhone and Macs. Now users must scroll down and find it in the left column under the "For iPod" heading.



Last month, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said his company still views the Apple TV as a "hobby," and noted that sales of the product simply don't compare to the consumer markets for smartphones, computers and MP3 players. Cook said he doesn't believe the Apple TV will remain dormant, but it may take time for the potential market for the device to grow.



"Because our gut says something is there, we're continuing to invest in this," Cook said. "But today, it's still just a hobby."



Last October, Apple released the 3.0 software update for Apple TV, featuring a redesigned main menu that made navigating content simpler and faster. It also added support for the new iTunes LP and iTunes Extras formats.







Mysterious app icon gains attention



Apple updated its Web site with new pictures of the iPad Friday, and one screenshot in particular garnered attention from readers due to its inclusion of a mysterious icon. Included on the home screen Web page, the picture shows an icon on the far right of the device in landscape mode, and the application is not shown in any other screenshots.



Though the text is too small to read clearly, the icon appears to show the logo for the publication National Geographic. It's likely that the icon is for a digital version of the magazine, to be sold through Apple's iBookstore.







Apple expands on iPad features



As preorders began Friday, Apple also fleshed out the official iPad section of its Web site, adding greater detail on the iBooks application, 3G data subscriptions with AT&T, and more.



As before, all of the built-in applications on the iPad have their own page describing their function. Apple also has special dedicated pages for the iBooks application, which must be downloaded from the App Store, as well as the $9.99 Keynote, Pages and Numbers software.



A page devoted to 3G access on the iPad describes how users can start and cancel a no-contract data plan with AT&T direct from the device at any time. As was revealed at the product's unveiling, the data plans run $15 per month for 250MB of data, or $30 per month for unlimited access.







Apple also updated its total number of applications available on the App Store to 150,000. When the iPad was first announced, the company advertised that more than 140,000 applications would be available for the device at launch.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 266
    finetunesfinetunes Posts: 2,065member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The introduction of the iPad Friday morning sold an estimated 50,000 units in two hours, and also bumped Apple's "hobby," the Apple TV, from the front page of its online store. Also, a mysterious icon included in iPad promotional pictures gains

    Apple also updated its total number of applications available on the App Store to 150,000. When the iPad was first announced, the company advertised that more than 140,000 applications would be available for the device at launch.



    A good start.
  • Reply 2 of 266
    leithalleithal Posts: 64member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FineTunes View Post


    A good start.





    Yes it is a good start - more than 50K in the first few hours but did you really need to quote the entire article?
  • Reply 3 of 266
    Ha, yeah, didn't need the entire article quoted there.



    50k in first 2 hours, wow. Not surprising I guess.



    Anybody have numbers for the first 2 hours of sale for the iPhone?
  • Reply 4 of 266
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Apple lists the cost for the 3G data but I can't find any info on the typical activation fee. In fact, it reads as if their isn't one which would make this product even more attractive for the occasional activation for trips.
  • Reply 5 of 266
    finetunesfinetunes Posts: 2,065member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Leithal View Post


    Yes it is a good start - more than 50K in the first few hours but did you really need to quote the entire article?



    Yeh, slipped sorry will not happen again
  • Reply 6 of 266
    icarbonicarbon Posts: 196member
    Hmmm... National Geographic electronic edition...



    I thought Apple was cutting down on porn!



  • Reply 7 of 266
    finetunesfinetunes Posts: 2,065member
    Wonder what the sales figures would have been if there was no limit on the numbers purchased? Especially business that might have had a much larger order?
  • Reply 8 of 266
    daharderdaharder Posts: 1,580member
    Early Adopters...
  • Reply 9 of 266
    lamewinglamewing Posts: 742member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DaHarder View Post


    Early Adopters...



    Yep. I have been an early adopter of Apple hardware for years, but I just couldn't pull the trigger this morning. The speed of the browser on my iphone (wifi) simply doesn't match the speed of my macbook pro. Maybe the iPad will be faster or maybe I am expecting too much, but I think I will have to wait til more people have them in their little grubby hands. Good luck Apple.
  • Reply 10 of 266
    ihxoihxo Posts: 567member
    I was just wondering what was up there with the iPods and iPhone before today.

    poor Apple TV.
  • Reply 11 of 266
    msnlymsnly Posts: 378member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ihxo View Post


    poor Apple TV.



    May it rest in peace... on the back pages of the Apple Store.
  • Reply 12 of 266
    So whats the deal with the pre-orders...are they charging cards now or waiting? or putting a hold? It seems my accounts already been cleaned out
  • Reply 13 of 266
    ihxoihxo Posts: 567member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Apple lists the cost for the 3G data but I can't find any info on the typical activation fee. In fact, it reads as if their isn't one which would make this product even more attractive for the occasional activation for trips.



    Doesn't look like there will be one, otherwise there should be a footnote somewhere saying activation fee may apply or something.
  • Reply 14 of 266
    swingeswinge Posts: 110member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MsNly View Post


    May it rest in peace... on the back pages of the Apple Store.



    I still LOVE my Apple TV...had it now for over a year.... I never use it to buy/watch movies, but to centralize all your music in one place..with your best speakers, it can't be beat....Also great photo album and an easy place to watch podcasts/YouTube...works AMAZINGLY well with iPhone remote....
  • Reply 15 of 266
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,712member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by alectheking View Post


    So whats the deal with the pre-orders...are they charging cards now or waiting? or putting a hold? It seems my accounts already been cleaned out



    I have never known Apple bill me until they ship. I have my order confirmed and shipping info but no invoice so all seems as normal.
  • Reply 16 of 266
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ihxo View Post


    Doesn't look like there will be one, otherwise there should be a footnote somewhere saying activation fee may apply or something.



    That would rock, though they can always add one or even change the rates for data at any time since their is no contract.
  • Reply 17 of 266
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,712member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FineTunes View Post


    Yeh, slipped sorry will not happen again



    You could edit the post to avoid another 100 critics
  • Reply 18 of 266
    dr millmossdr millmoss Posts: 5,403member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ihxo View Post


    Doesn't look like there will be one, otherwise there should be a footnote somewhere saying activation fee may apply or something.



    It doesn't say either way, because it is up the carrier to charge or not charge an activation fee, as they see fit.
  • Reply 19 of 266
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by alectheking View Post


    So whats the deal with the pre-orders...are they charging cards now or waiting? or putting a hold? It seems my accounts already been cleaned out



    Apple typically has several charges against your card: mine is a debit card so I can see specifically in my online bank account; they charge $1.00 for each item ordered and strangely charge for the shipping if applicable. In my case, and I have received an email confirmation of the order, they charged $1.00 for my iPad, $1.00 for the case, $1.00 for the dock and $13.00 for the expedited shipping (on the 2 accessories). That's it. I have always liked that about Apple. Some companies put a hold on the full amount of the order which in my case with a debit card means that the funds are unavailable! So hurrah for Apple on this one! A measly buck to hold my iPad till April 3!!! Then free FEDEX Saturday delivery! Talk about customer satisfaction!
  • Reply 20 of 266
    postulantpostulant Posts: 1,272member
    *Crickets*



    The silence is deafening.
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