Initial engraved AirTag preorders sold out in minutes

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 30
    Beatsbeats Posts: 3,073member
    Although the limit of four characters engraving seems to prohibit placing a phone number on the AirTag, I noticed there were lots of two-digit emojis to choose from so I was able to engrave my 7 digit phone number on mine. The highest two digit emoji is 50 so some phone numbers will be unengravable, however the fact that a phone number has only 7 digits, not 8, means you can still find a way to select some 7-digit phone numbers that contain high digits. There were two ways I could have engraved my number because of this trick. This means people can contact me if they find my AirTag even if I haven't put mine into "Lost Mode."

    This is ridiculous of Apple. They should allow 2 sentences of text.

    For example:

    This is my dog!
    😢 Please return (555) 555-5555

    Or initial engraving limitation for it’s sudden sellout was a brilliant marketing plan to generate even more interest… but who knows but them. 
    Ah yes, the “artificially constrain supply in order to sell more” conspiracy. Yeah. That isn’t how it works. Apple is already on top of the industry, anything they announce gets front page coverage on CNN etc...they dont need to artificially limit production to generate interest. Doing so only hampers their ability to sell more thru the channel. Nope. At their scale, their problem is that of actual supply constraint.

    When a product does well someone always says this “artificial supply” crap.

    Does it even work? Why would Apple sell 100,000 and hold back millions of units just to “hype the product”. That’s so stupid logically. If something is sold out it frustrates the consumer causing them to buy an alternative. Especially if it’s a b-day gift.
    jony0williamlondonwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 22 of 30
    MisterKitmisterkit Posts: 526member
    There is an open and wide field for aftermarket AirTag accessories. Look for keychains and other accessories for just dollars. Apple does not hold us hostage to purchase their accessories.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 23 of 30
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,954member
    Beats said:
    Although the limit of four characters engraving seems to prohibit placing a phone number on the AirTag, I noticed there were lots of two-digit emojis to choose from so I was able to engrave my 7 digit phone number on mine. The highest two digit emoji is 50 so some phone numbers will be unengravable, however the fact that a phone number has only 7 digits, not 8, means you can still find a way to select some 7-digit phone numbers that contain high digits. There were two ways I could have engraved my number because of this trick. This means people can contact me if they find my AirTag even if I haven't put mine into "Lost Mode."

    This is ridiculous of Apple. They should allow 2 sentences of text.

    For example:

    This is my dog!
    😢 Please return (555) 555-5555

    Or initial engraving limitation for it’s sudden sellout was a brilliant marketing plan to generate even more interest… but who knows but them. 
    Ah yes, the “artificially constrain supply in order to sell more” conspiracy. Yeah. That isn’t how it works. Apple is already on top of the industry, anything they announce gets front page coverage on CNN etc...they dont need to artificially limit production to generate interest. Doing so only hampers their ability to sell more thru the channel. Nope. At their scale, their problem is that of actual supply constraint.

    When a product does well someone always says this “artificial supply” crap.

    Does it even work? Why would Apple sell 100,000 and hold back millions of units just to “hype the product”. That’s so stupid logically. If something is sold out it frustrates the consumer causing them to buy an alternative. Especially if it’s a b-day gift.

    ?????

    What am I missing here? Isn’t the whole point of these things that basically every phone on the planet becomes your personal tracking network and pings the location of the AirTag to you? Why would you need/want your phone # on this?
    StrangeDayswilliamlondonwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 24 of 30
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,165member
    Looks like a great product, with great design and execution, I want to get some, but I can’t figure out a use case. Who are these for??
    People who lose things. I’ve lost a lot of things that I could have recovered if I knew where they were. 
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 25 of 30
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,165member
    cornchip said:
    Beats said:
    Although the limit of four characters engraving seems to prohibit placing a phone number on the AirTag, I noticed there were lots of two-digit emojis to choose from so I was able to engrave my 7 digit phone number on mine. The highest two digit emoji is 50 so some phone numbers will be unengravable, however the fact that a phone number has only 7 digits, not 8, means you can still find a way to select some 7-digit phone numbers that contain high digits. There were two ways I could have engraved my number because of this trick. This means people can contact me if they find my AirTag even if I haven't put mine into "Lost Mode."

    This is ridiculous of Apple. They should allow 2 sentences of text.

    For example:

    This is my dog!
    😢 Please return (555) 555-5555

    Or initial engraving limitation for it’s sudden sellout was a brilliant marketing plan to generate even more interest… but who knows but them. 
    Ah yes, the “artificially constrain supply in order to sell more” conspiracy. Yeah. That isn’t how it works. Apple is already on top of the industry, anything they announce gets front page coverage on CNN etc...they dont need to artificially limit production to generate interest. Doing so only hampers their ability to sell more thru the channel. Nope. At their scale, their problem is that of actual supply constraint.

    When a product does well someone always says this “artificial supply” crap.

    Does it even work? Why would Apple sell 100,000 and hold back millions of units just to “hype the product”. That’s so stupid logically. If something is sold out it frustrates the consumer causing them to buy an alternative. Especially if it’s a b-day gift.

    ?????

    What am I missing here? Isn’t the whole point of these things that basically every phone on the planet becomes your personal tracking network and pings the location of the AirTag to you? Why would you need/want your phone # on this?
    Yeah not really getting that one. If you mark it as lost anyone with a NFC phone can reach you if you want them to. 
    patchythepiratewatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 26 of 30
    Rayz2016rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Looks like a great product, with great design and execution, I want to get some, but I can’t figure out a use case. Who are these for??
    People who lose things. I’ve lost a lot of things that I could have recovered if I knew where they were. 
    Car keys.  I lose them in the house. 

    If car manufacturers had thought to make the key fob whistle when you clap …

    I’d put one in the cat, but it would find increasingly dangerous places to leave its collar to see if I would kill myself trying to retrieve it. 


    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 27 of 30
    Rayz2016rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    jd_in_sb said:
    Want to annoy a lot of people? Hide one on a train. It will alert everyone that they are being stalked. 
    After three days. 

    And could be used by the police to return it you, along with a warning not to be a dumbass. 

    Or someone on the train will simply stamp on it or remove the battery. Idiocy solved. 

    Fortunately, most folk won’t waste thirty quid for a dull joke. If they do, result! Free battery!
    edited April 2021
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 28 of 30
    Rayz2016rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    I wonder if this is why Apple moved to random serial numbers etched on its gadgets. 
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 29 of 30
    MplsPmplsp Posts: 4,096member
    lkrupp said:
    MisterKit said:
    Looks like Apple has hit another one out of the park.
    Until, of course, Tile gets a judge to order Apple to stop sales because... anti-competitive. /s
    That’s not completely out of the realm of possibility, and Tile just got done testifying at antitrust hearings. I think the fact that apple has opened up the protocol to 3rd parties will definitely help them.

    As for AirTags, they seem like a winner. We’ll see how they actually perform once they’re in people’s hands but they are reasonably priced, useful, seem to have easy, good integration and you can even replace the battery. Well done, Apple!
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 30 of 30
    MplsPmplsp Posts: 4,096member

    Or initial engraving limitation for it’s sudden sellout was a brilliant marketing plan to generate even more interest… but who knows but them. 
    Ah yes, the “artificially constrain supply in order to sell more” conspiracy. Yeah. That isn’t how it works. Apple is already on top of the industry, anything they announce gets front page coverage on CNN etc...they dont need to artificially limit production to generate interest. Doing so only hampers their ability to sell more thru the channel. Nope. At their scale, their problem is that of actual supply constraint.
    Apple runs out of products on virtually every product like this that they announce and my analysis is always the same - initial demand and long-term demand are not the same. There will (almost) always be high initial demand because the product is new, so the un-tapped market is at its largest, there is new-product excitement, and you have all the bloggers and reviewers trying to get one to write a review. On top of that, manufacturing may or may not be completely up to speed. 

    It’s never a bad sign that a product sells well, but don’t over read it, either.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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