With shipping dates already slipping, it’s pretty obvious that demand for Apple’s new iPad is growing rather quickly. Heck, even Apple has come right out and stated the obvious: “Customer response to the new iPad has been off the charts and the quantity available for pre-order has been purchased. Customers can continue to order online and receive an estimated delivery date.”
We know what you’re thinking, and we’re thinking it too. This being the third time Apple has released an iPad, how do they still not have a grasp on demand during launch week yet? Tim Cook went on the record just after the iPad 2 release and stated that Apple does not artificially create a supply shortage to increase the hype leading up to the days before and just after release; however, here we are again, a full year after the iPad 2 demand struggles, having the iPad supply starting to dry up rather quickly, and shipment days already starting to slide past the big March 16th launch. On the flip-side, many expected similar availability problems when the iPhone 4S launched last fall, but Apple did a great job of stocking the shelves on release day. At this point, we can only hope new iPad day will go off without a hitch like iPhone 4S day did. But, we won’t really know until the big day comes and goes.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: get to the Apple Store early on the 16th of March. There’s already people starting to lineup at an Apple Store in London, and don’t be surprised if the lineup is a hundred people deep by the time you show up to get in line on Friday. With demand ‘off the charts’ according to Apple, that likely means long waits and lineups.
