Apple hints it may not have enough Retina iPad minis to meet holiday demand
When asked on Monday whether his company will be able to meet demand for the new iPad mini with Retina display this holiday season, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook did not express a great deal of confidence.
"It's unclear whether we will have enough for the quarter or not," Cook said during his company's quarterly earnings conference call. "We know how many we will have, but you really don't know the demand until you start shipping."
The comments from Apple's CEO were made in response to a question from Steve Milunovich, an analyst with UBS. Prior to the announcement of the second-generation iPad mini last week, rumors persisted that production problems could limit supply through the end of 2013.
The fact that the Retina iPad mini is launching after the new iPad Air has been further interpreted as a sign that Apple may not be able to meet demand for its new 7.9-inch tablet this holiday season.
Still, Cook told analysts he expects his company will do "fairly well" in overall iPad sales this quarter, going as far as to call it "an iPad Christmas."
For the just-concluded September quarter, Apple executives revealed that the company beat its own internal expectations for iPad sales. Overall iPad sales were at 14.1 million for the three-month period, up slightly from the 14 million the company shipped in the same quarter a year prior.
Cook said Apple isn't focused on unit share when it comes to sales of its devices, and that he would rather attract and retain customers through customer satisfaction. Still, the CEO said he's "confident" that Apple will grow its iPad sales year over year in the December quarter.
"It's unclear whether we will have enough for the quarter or not," Cook said during his company's quarterly earnings conference call. "We know how many we will have, but you really don't know the demand until you start shipping."
The comments from Apple's CEO were made in response to a question from Steve Milunovich, an analyst with UBS. Prior to the announcement of the second-generation iPad mini last week, rumors persisted that production problems could limit supply through the end of 2013.
The fact that the Retina iPad mini is launching after the new iPad Air has been further interpreted as a sign that Apple may not be able to meet demand for its new 7.9-inch tablet this holiday season.
Still, Cook told analysts he expects his company will do "fairly well" in overall iPad sales this quarter, going as far as to call it "an iPad Christmas."
For the just-concluded September quarter, Apple executives revealed that the company beat its own internal expectations for iPad sales. Overall iPad sales were at 14.1 million for the three-month period, up slightly from the 14 million the company shipped in the same quarter a year prior.
Cook said Apple isn't focused on unit share when it comes to sales of its devices, and that he would rather attract and retain customers through customer satisfaction. Still, the CEO said he's "confident" that Apple will grow its iPad sales year over year in the December quarter.
Comments
Might wait for the 2014 mini now. Hopefully they'll include TouchID
Samsung have a 30% return rate on sales of crap watch ... Headlines "Samsung sales up 70% more than expected"
The big news will be the iPhone 6.
Watch out. It'll be serious business. I can't wait.
True and I can't wait. But...seriously I was going to get a new iPad but I will wait until the touch ID comes to it.
I really wish they offered it on at least one of the iPads.
This is the first time the iPad mini has matched the current iPad specs-wise, but still cost $100 less for the same configuration. How could the mini not be a monster hit?
Of course, some mini holdouts (who can spare the extra $100) might switch to the more available iPad Air once they realize how thin & light it is. Apple has whittled away at the differences between the two iPads.
Just speculating.
" we are confident in our ipad lineup, best ever! This is going to be an ipad Christmas "
A more accurate headline might be, "Apple Will Not Divulge Demand for Products, Otherwise Samsung Would Know What To Copy Next."
This is no surprise.
Apple can't make enough of something to meet demand ... APPL drops
Samsung have a 30% return rate on sales of crap watch ... Headlines "Samsung sales up 70% more than expected"
You know, just get used to it. The top dog always has a target on his back. I live very near St. Louis, Missouri. Sports writers have been going after the Cardinals lately simply because they have been so successful. They make ridiculous statements to the fact that St. Louis needs to let other teams win in the postseason. The fact that the Cardinals have played in four World Series in the last ten years and that this year is their 19th trip to the big game upsets them to no end. The St. Louis Cardinals have no business being THAT good seems to be the gripe.
Apple has changed the game so many times, destroyed established business models, kicked major players to the sidelines, upset the paradigms, confounded the analysts, and so on, that they have made some real enemies. How would you like to be Microsoft’s Ballmer, or Nokia, or Blackberry, see Apple coming at you after it’s too late only to get run over like so much road kill? Why do you think the iHaters have hitched their wagons to Samsung, the ultimate copycat? Success breeds contempt, as the old saying goes. And Wall Street is just another enemy to overcome these days.
Amazing. They only had a year to prepare. Another holiday of missed potential sales. When mom has to put something under the tree for little johnny and she can't get an ipad she has to get something. Samsung thanks you Tim Cook for another execution debacle. Anyone remember last holiday season where no iMacs were available. Cook announced them and didn't have them until the following year thus missing the entire holiday season.
Why can Samsung and every other company sell more units than apple and have no issue with demand but Cook can't put this together since he became CEO and doesn't have Jobs screaming at him to get it done.
I'll also wait for the TouchID iPad
Probably next generation, right after the iPhone 6 comes out.
Again, should we hold a vote to stop ‘supply’ stories once and for all?
You COULD just leave the site and never again read anything about a company you so obviously hate. Maybe that’s too smart an idea for you.
I forgot they started production last Christmas. [must try not to get banned.]
And by units you mean the cheap sh1t the others can make because they have a quality control?
Hopefully next year, seem to be treating it like Siri with "beta on 5S" but IOS 8(app support) allows all devices to have it including iPod touch 6 generation.
The new iPads seem really to be do you want a 7.9 or 9.7 inch (most think 8 and 10 inch) options, if they add a 12 next year might just be $600 vs my earlier thought $700(unless they still do put extra things like a A9 chip and maybe allow a touch limited OS X to run on it.
imo this is disappointing. Apple should try to anticipated demand better. Hopefully some people will buy the iPad air instead, removing some pressure off the iPad mini.
Also maybe Apple could find a way to improve production in time, but with a release by the end of November, I don't think its doable.
imo this is disappointing. Apple should try to anticipated demand better. Hopefully some people will buy the iPad air instead, removing some pressure off the iPad mini.
Also maybe Apple could find a way to improve production in time, but with a release by the end of November, I don't think its doable.
This could be nothing to do with anticipating demand.
I suspect Apple's intense desire for secrecy may be one of the causes. Cupertino's employees are pretty compliant and loyal, but leak after leak comes out of their Asian supply chain. We saw iPad Air parts leak in what, July? Imagine how few surprises would remain if they started production 6 or 9 months before release.