iPad 2 ship times improve to 1-3 days as Apple overcomes backlog

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
After more than fourth months on the market, Apple's iPad 2 appears to have nearly caught up with the staggering demand for it, as estimated shipping times on the company's U.S. online store have improved to just one to three business days.



The Cupertino, Calif., company reached near immediate availability for all models of its popular touchscreen tablet on Saturday, as noticed by MacNN. The lead times are an improvement upon last week's drop to three to five days.



Shortly after the device's launch in March, Apple was quoting shipping estimates of over a month. In April, the iPad 2 began shipping within one to two weeks, with Apple holding that timeframe steady until early July.



Analysts have viewed the improvements to availability as evidence that Apple has overcome supply constraints, rather than viewing the news as indicating slackening demand for the device. J.P. Morgan's Mark Moskowitz believes the resulting increase in iPad sales should help allay investor concerns that have contributed to recent volatility in shares of Apple.



Apple stock reached a new 52-week high of $364.92 on Friday ahead of its quarterly earnings call next Tuesday.







Despite the fact that Apple sold "every iPad [it] could make," analysts were disappointed in April when the company announced sales of just 4.69 million units last quarter. Wall Street had expected sales of 6.2 million.



"Demand has been staggering, and I'm not going to predict when supply and demand will come into balance, Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said during the earnings call, adding that the iPad 2 is "the mother of all backlogs."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 25
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Keep making them at breakneck speeds, Apple, because this will be the must-have device for the Holidays.
  • Reply 2 of 25
    Just got back from Sears..guess what..
  • Reply 3 of 25
    That's great, now that a new model is rumored for September.



    Guess I should wait.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    After more than fourth months on the market, Apple's iPad 2 appears to have nearly caught up with the staggering demand for it, as estimated shipping times on the company's U.S. online store have improved to just one to three business days.



    The Cupertino, Calif., company reached near immediate availability for all models of its popular touchscreen tablet on Saturday, as noticed by MacNN. The lead times are an improvement upon last week's drop to three to five days.



    Shortly after the device's launch in March, Apple was quoting shipping estimates of over a month. In April, the iPad 2 began shipping within one to two weeks, with Apple holding that timeframe steady until early July.



    Analysts have viewed the improvements to availability as evidence that Apple has overcome supply constraints, rather than viewing the news as indicating slackening demand for the device. J.P. Morgan's Mark Moskowitz believes the resulting increase in iPad sales should help allay investor concerns that have contributed to recent volatility in shares of Apple.



    Apple stock reached a new 52-week high of $364.92 on Friday ahead of its quarterly earnings call next Tuesday.







    Despite the fact that Apple sold "every iPad [it] could make," analysts were disappointed in April when the company announced sales of just 4.69 million units last quarter. Wall Street had expected sales of 6.2 million.



    "Demand has been staggering, and I'm not going to predict when supply and demand will come into balance, Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said during the earnings call, adding that the iPad 2 is "the mother of all backlogs."



  • Reply 4 of 25
    brucepbrucep Posts: 2,823member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Keep making them at breakneck speeds, Apple, because this will be the must-have device for the Holidays.



    When is the IPAD 3 coming out?



    9
  • Reply 5 of 25
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by brucep View Post


    When is the IPAD 3 coming out?



    9



    Next Spring.



    But if you believe the rumors there's an ipad 2.5 coming out anywhere from tomorrow to 2 months from now.
  • Reply 6 of 25
    vadaniavadania Posts: 425member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by charlituna View Post


    Next Spring.



    But if you believe the rumors there's an ipad 2.5 coming out anywhere from tomorrow to 2 months from now.



    It makes perfect sense. When demand slows down for the current model, release an upgraded one.



    I mean, they don't sell tons of models like the other guys do right?...



    I'm not sure why people think they should make tons of these for the release so everyone can have one. They want constant demand. So if they built enough ahead of time, then they would have one great quarter and three bad ones right?



    Their stock would go up like crazy, then plummet if every one who wanted one bought it right away. I think they found the right balance of keeping supply in constant demand enough for their earnings. I can't believe some people who post here thinking they only build so many because they can't build more. Even after reading post after post from this site, of potential partners who could build more of them when they're actually "needed". Really?...



    This is only my opinion. Please don't jump down my throat. :o)
  • Reply 7 of 25
    irnchrizirnchriz Posts: 1,616member
    Another way to look at this is that demand for iPad 2's has dropped and there are now a surplus of units, just saying..
  • Reply 8 of 25
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Mainly because you deserve it.

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Vadania View Post


    It makes perfect sense. When demand slows down for the current model, release an upgraded one.



    Nobody has said that demand has slowed down. That may or may not be the case.

    Quote:

    I mean, they don't sell tons of models like the other guys do right?...



    Actually Apple is the only company selling tons of tablets.

    Quote:

    I'm not sure why people think they should make tons of these for the release so everyone can have one. They want constant demand. So if they built enough ahead of time, then they would have one great quarter and three bad ones right?



    nope they would have happy customers. Despite all of the management mumbo jumbo it is pretty much impossible to predict demand for any product new on the market. However having the massive backlogs at launch like Apple had is not good for anybody.

    Quote:

    Their stock would go up like crazy, then plummet if every one who wanted one bought it right away.



    That never happens anyway. This is the same in any industry, new models always result in a surge in sales assuming the public wants the item in the first place. The word "new" attracks the gotta have it peoPle.

    Quote:

    I think they found the right balance of keeping supply in constant demand enough for their earnings. I can't believe some people who post here thinking they only build so many because they can't build more.



    If you commission to have a product built and pay for the production line, that line will have a maximum capacity. As such you can't build more until new lines are in place. So yeah Apple couldn't build more than the initial capacity that they purchased. This isn't rocket science.

    Quote:

    Even after reading post after post from this site, of potential partners who could build more of them when they're actually "needed". Really?...



    You are reading about future potential partners none who have a production line set up yet. even if a contract is signed today the selected manufacture can not instantly start making iPads. Manufacturing simply doesn't work that way.

    Quote:

    This is only my opinion. Please don't jump down my throat. :o)



    Well I'm jumping down your throat. Mainly because you appear to be delusional or have never worked in manufacturing. I'm working in a plant right now that is trying to expand production and frankly it is very hard work, nothing happens quickly.
  • Reply 9 of 25
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by irnchriz View Post


    Another way to look at this is that demand for iPad 2's has dropped and there are now a surplus of units, just saying..



    We should have an idea in a couple of days as Apple does their quarterly reports. Some weakening in demand is to be expected, but that can pick up again later in the year. My impression is that demand is still strong.
  • Reply 10 of 25
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Just wait until Apple quotes 24 hour ship times, people will be saying "Nobody wants an iPad anymore".
  • Reply 11 of 25
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    We should have an idea in a couple of days as Apple does their quarterly reports. Some weakening in demand is to be expected, but that can pick up again later in the year. My impression is that demand is still strong.



    Globally, there is no weakening in demand. It simply means that supply is gradually catching up. But if anyone thinks it's reaching any kind of supply-demand balance, they're way off.
  • Reply 12 of 25
    irnchrizirnchriz Posts: 1,616member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post


    We should have an idea in a couple of days as Apple does their quarterly reports. Some weakening in demand is to be expected, but that can pick up again later in the year. My impression is that demand is still strong.



    The point I was making was as valid as the original poster, they have no idea if Apple is shipping more or selling less. Posts such as this are speculative and worthless, hence my post. It has as much value as you 'impression'.
  • Reply 13 of 25
    irnchrizirnchriz Posts: 1,616member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    Globally, there is no weakening in demand. It simply means that supply is gradually catching up. But if anyone thinks it's reaching any kind of supply-demand balance, they're way off.



    Retail sales rise and fall in all world regions depending on many factors, e.g. holiday periods etc and even the time of the month causing natural drops and increases in demand.
  • Reply 14 of 25
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by irnchriz View Post


    Another way to look at this is that demand for iPad 2's has dropped and there are now a surplus of units, just saying..



    You must be kidding. iPad2 is not available in great number of markets yet.
  • Reply 15 of 25
    The idea that Apple were deliberately producing iPads any less quickly than they possibly could is asinine.



    Production efficiency has improved, and demand has slowed. That's the story.
  • Reply 16 of 25
    vachivachi Posts: 12member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    After more than fourth months on the market,



    is fourth the correct word tense here, should't it be four
  • Reply 17 of 25
    recrec Posts: 217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tonton View Post


    The idea that Apple were deliberately producing iPads any less quickly than they possibly could is asinine.



    Production efficiency has improved, and demand has slowed. That's the story.



    I still feel like there's no way Apple could've predicted how much demand there was going to be for iPad 2 on launch day. Anecdotally speaking, I haven't seen people line up at Apple stores and the various retailers (Best Buy, Walmart etc) that much in quite a while, especially for a v2 revision product. To me this seemed like the iPhone 1 launch day. A bit crazy, maybe certifiable, people by the truckloads willing to bet that the iThing of the day was gonna be a smash hit.



    I think the iPad 1 as it turns out was actually good advertising for the iPad 2. There's still the sortof common wisdom out there that you don't buy a v1 Apple product. You wait a revision or 2 for them to work out the kinks. iPad 1 didn't really have any kinks, a few software related tech issues (I remember an annoying dropped wifi issue at the start) but it was stuff that got resolved and was just a blip. I think the solidness and maturity of the first iPad gave people alot of confidence that the iPad 2 really was going to be great on day 1, and this contributed (among many other factors) to a kindof insane launch. And they just have not been able to catch up since.



    The Jobsnote at the time talked about how they planned to launch in the US on one day, then 2 weeks later be in 20 countries and then 2 weeks after that be in like 40 more (I'm sure I got these details wrong but it was something very aggressive). I wonder now in retrospect how realistic that was... I can't imagine that they actually made that schedule given how constrained supply has been.
  • Reply 18 of 25
    brucepbrucep Posts: 2,823member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by charlituna View Post


    Next Spring.



    But if you believe the rumors there's an ipad 2.5 coming out anywhere from tomorrow to 2 months from now.



    i hate to buy now na then a great screen comes out...



    thanks





    9
  • Reply 19 of 25
    nofeernofeer Posts: 2,427member
    interesting even after 4+ months of short supple

    people aren't moving to the competition



    and how can anyone think of ipad 3 with this type of demand



    wait till school starts and more school announcements made, my school is looking into it



    its magical
  • Reply 20 of 25
    cloudgazercloudgazer Posts: 2,161member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NOFEER View Post


    and how can anyone think of ipad 3 with this type of demand



    if by iPad-3 you mean the rumoured HD option then I think you're missing the point. Why wait for the competition to get into your market when you can crush them before they even get a toehold? You could just as easily say why did they need to bring out the iPad-2 when they did, after all nobody had a decent offering to rival it at the time.



    Apple will bring out their new models at their own pace, and there's no reason for them to hold back just because the product is selling well - that has certainly never stopped them in the past.
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