Apple's iPad mini already on pace to outsell Retina iPad

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
The iPad mini is an instant smash hit, set to quickly eclipse the full-size iPad with sales as high as 12 million units in its first quarter, according to a new report.

Apple originally expected to sell 6 million iPad minis over the holidays, but has doubled its orders with display panel makers to more than 12 million, NPD DisplaySearch analyst David Hsieh said to CNet. Demand for the iPad mini is so strong that's selling better than the new fourth-generation iPad, he said.

"It seems people especially like the size," Hsieh said. He expects Apple will adjust its product portfolio next year to accommodate for strong demand for the iPad mini.

Currently, display panels for the 7.9-inch iPad are being built by AU Optronics and LG Display. But if sales reach 50 million units, Hsieh said Apple will need to find other panel suppliers to meet demand.

iPad mini


The comments from NPD corroborate what analyst Shaw Wu of Sterne Agee said earlier this week, when he indicated that sales of the iPad mini have been cannibalizing those of larger 9.7-inch iPad. Wu said that sales of the full-size iPad have been slower than expected, while iPad mini demand has been greater than Apple anticipated.

Overwhelming demand and reported production issues continue to be an issue for Apple with only a week and a half left until Christmas. Apple's online store advertises that iPad mini purchases are available to ship in one week, indicating that supply has not yet caught up with demand.

The company has not disclosed sales of the iPad mini specifically, but announced that total sales over the launch weekend for the mini and the fourth-generation iPad reached 3 million units.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 239
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Everyone stay out of the way while TS' head explodes.
  • Reply 2 of 239
    Apple originally expected to sell 6 million iPad minis over the holidays

    I think Apple hasn't yet uite grasped the fact how succesful they hav become. 6M? They ought to know it would be more than that. First iPad? The figured they'd sell1M (first batch? Can't recall)
    Demand for the iPad mini is so strong that's selling better than the new fourth-generation iPad, he said.

    NSS (2nd S = Sherlock) Why is he surprised? That was a new plug and 1.2MP FT camera and GPU boost, no? Not a new FF.
    "It seems people especial like the size," Hsieh said.

    I give up
    The comments from NPD corroborate what analyst Shaw Wu of Sterne Agee said <a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/12/12/12/apple-suppliers-say-iphone-5-demand-still-strong-ipad-mini-cannibalizing-97-ipad">earlier this week</a>, when he indicated that sales of the iPad mini have been cannibalizing those of larger 9.7-inch iPad. Wu said that sales of the full-size iPad have been slower than expected, while iPad mini demand has been greater than Apple anticipated.

    Yeah, so in total they are selling more than before the introduction of the smaller FF. Go figure.

    jragosta wrote: »
    Everyone stay out of the way while TS' head explodes.

    Why would he? He likes Apple and I think he'll be glad to see Apple sell so many. Impossible to tell how this stacks up to the competition, as their Sales numbers are quite difficult to find. And if not found, don't expect any competing CEO to tell us.
  • Reply 3 of 239
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    I guess this sucks for the other tablet makers. There wasn't a tablet market until the iPad. There wasn't a 7" tablet market until the mini. Good luck with your razor thin margins, android makers. Meanwhile Apple stock drops because analysts likes manipulating the stock price.
  • Reply 4 of 239
    shenshen Posts: 434member
    So will they change the resolution and CPU next generation? Why pass on updating something this hot. But on the other hand how to update a problematic display size?

    Double it? Elements far too small. Any other increase? Now we have three sizes.

    Something about a rock and a hard place.

    ...not that every other manufacturer would kill for such "problems"!
  • Reply 5 of 239
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member


    HUH...


     


    Perhaps a smaller iPad was the "perfect size" all along.

  • Reply 6 of 239


    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post

    Why would he? He likes Apple and I think he'll be glad to see Apple sell so many.


     


    I knew the small one would sell better than the big one if they made one. Doesn't mean making one was a good idea. image


     


    A 40" touchscreen computer will sell better than either of these models. The key is the interface.


     


    I'd really like a 15" iPad-equivalent for portable stuff, too. Do I think that would sell as well as the 8"? I think it would sell better than the 10".

  • Reply 7 of 239

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post



    Everyone stay out of the way while TS' head explodes.


     


    You beat me to it.


     


    Not that anyone cares about my personal decisions, but it will be tough deciding which I'm going to upgrade to next spring/whenever - iPad mini or iPad?  Assuming both have retina, I may opt for the mini and then get a 13" MBA to mix it up.  I have a 21" iMac already. Hmmm.

  • Reply 8 of 239
    patsupatsu Posts: 430member
    It's the size and *weight*, dummy. 8^P

    The iPad mini has become a permanent fixture on my left hand. That's what my friends say.
  • Reply 9 of 239
    Just a thought - is it possible these sales have more to do with the price than the size? Getting an iPad for $200 cheaper than a year ago (okay, maybe a little less because of the discounted iPad 2 last year) is probably a huge deal to people. I'm not sure how many of the people buying an iPad Mini would have bought a normal iPad instead if it wasn't around.

    With that in mind, if Apple adds Retina to the Mini next year and keeps it the same price, look out.
  • Reply 10 of 239
    jglonek wrote: »
    Just a thought - is it possible these sales have more to do with the price than the size? Getting an iPad for $200 cheaper than a year ago (okay, maybe a little less because of the discounted iPad 2 last year) is probably a huge deal to people. I'm not sure how many of the people buying an iPad Mini would have bought a normal iPad instead if it wasn't around.

    With that in mind, if Apple adds Retina to the Mini next year and keeps it the same price, look out.

    Very true; it would be great to see the ratio of people buying this mini who already have the 9.7" and those who don't. But I guess we'll never have Apple show us that number...
  • Reply 11 of 239
    I prefer the 9.7" iPad. Because.
  • Reply 12 of 239
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Watch the stock drop even more now. :D
  • Reply 13 of 239

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


     


    I knew the small one would sell better than the big one if they made one. Doesn't mean making one was a good idea. image


     


    A 40" touchscreen computer will sell better than either of these models. The key is the interface.


     


    I'd really like a 15" iPad-equivalent for portable stuff, too. Do I think that would sell as well as the 8"? I think it would sell better than the 10".



    Apple isn't stupid.  When you can make something at your profit margin, and at that price take away the sales from the other companies cannabalizing your line, you do it.   Good Idea = Make Money you aren't already making, without selling your future out.


     


    The question was pricepoint.  Obviously apple hit the pricepoint (shame on us who felt $199/249/299 were the pricepoints).   I don't think a 40" would work well for total ROI.  15"?  That I think is in the realm of possibility (definitely 13"... I figure once Win8 OEM's push out a few hundred thousand 11" plus tablets,  Apple will swoop in and make one and eat their lunches).


     


    The fact it's selling more than expected, is a heckuva lot better than selling to expectation, and your flagship ipad drops by the same amount.  The fact that the 'new' ipad is selling at normal levels basically says the cannabalization from external forces has been staunched.  that's a WinWin.   

  • Reply 14 of 239
    patsupatsu Posts: 430member
    jglonek wrote: »
    Just a thought - is it possible these sales have more to do with the price than the size? Getting an iPad for $200 cheaper than a year ago (okay, maybe a little less because of the discounted iPad 2 last year) is probably a huge deal to people. I'm not sure how many of the people buying an iPad Mini would have bought a normal iPad instead if it wasn't around.
    With that in mind, if Apple adds Retina to the Mini next year and keeps it the same price, look out.

    Definitely ! But even if the user can afford both like me, I ended up swapping my Retina in for a mini.
  • Reply 15 of 239
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,415member


    it only shows that people just want cheaper and inferior ipad. The resolution is horrible and I cannot imagine how people could enjoy reading on iPad mini. I would buy iPad mini IF it has retina display otherwise no thanks! 

  • Reply 16 of 239
    patsupatsu Posts: 430member
    I knew the small one would sell better than the big one if they made one. Doesn't mean making one was a good idea. :lol:

    A 40" touchscreen computer will sell better than either of these models. The key is the interface.

    I'd really like a 15" iPad-equivalent for portable stuff, too. Do I think that would sell as well as the 8"? I think it would sell better than the 10".

    It is not a bad idea if they sell a lot more units to compensate for the smaller margin. They can always optimize the production cost later.

    If you are considering getting one, buy an LTE mini. It complements the MacBook very well with tethering. Th Verizon one allows tethering even for the entry package. I have an AT&T iPhone, the Verizon iPad mini helps cover the network differences since I have free VoIP on the mini.
  • Reply 17 of 239
    As to the initial conservative volume estimate, when IBM estimated the sales of the very first PC, they came up with 275,000 over a 5 year life of product (yes they saw the PC not lasting more than 5 years). IBM had commitments for that number before the actual release date. So Apple being off by a factor of 2 is nothing compared to IBM's ineptitude.
  • Reply 18 of 239
    And to think, no one needed sand paper to get their fingers all tiny to use it.
  • Reply 19 of 239


    Cheaper product outsells more expensive product shocker! ;)

     

  • Reply 20 of 239


    The problematic part is, now that iPad mini becomes the standard, people will start to use the $329 as the anchor for tablets which means it'd be hard for Apple to create new premium products and higher price points that people will be willing to pay for. 


     


    Besides margin suppression and lower revenue of iPad mini vs. iPad 4, this is also part of the reason why AAPL is struggling

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