21 ms·

Apple sells 3 million iPads in 80 days

48 points by mlongo 16y ago

anigbrowl 16y ago
I'm somewhat surprised that none of the other manufacturers has brought a similar product to market yet - well, a few have, but in a muted, almost diffident fashion. Given the lead time and the existence of fairly competitive hardware already deployed in netbooks, I had expected that Asus or someone would move more aggressively to get a foothold in this opening market rather than allowing Apple to brand the form factor. Perhaps they are calculating on launching competing products for late summer (for students going back to school) or Christmas (the family sofa computer). there are a lot of commercial possibilities going unexploited at present. I'm already seeing iPads deployed commercially; at the mall the other day, I saw someone using one to take consumer surveys, and I noticed over a year ago that 7-11 stores use (older) tablets for inventory management. As a pure consumer device, tablets - preferably slightly larger ones - are just begging for deployment as a family boardgame platform.
- nkassis 16y ago
  Yeah, I don't get it either. I find it odd they did not see the iPad coming. I guess I'm looking at it with hindsight but an device running the iPhone OS was rumored way before the release. An android tablet could have been out and running before the iPad. It seems they were just waiting to see if apple could sell any and then start building one. Pretty crappy way to tag along on another companies research and marketing. I just want a damn tablet with android with decent specs. I don't care if it's flat like a pancake. Make it 720p with a front facing camera and at least 32gb of flash memory. Then ew nvidia chip and BLAM, I'll buy it so will all the real computer users. :)
  - Terretta 16y ago
    > I'll buy it so will all the real computer users. :) There are considerably fewer “real computer users” than non computer users. Let's face it: “real computer users” are a niche.
    - wazoox 16y ago
      Yep. The ones who had computers in the 80s, and bemoan that you can't program on windows out-of-box.
  - glhaynes 16y ago
    I think everybody was assuming: "There's no way they'll just release a big iPod touch." Nobody thought the formula for a successful tablet could be defined so simply.
    - protomyth 16y ago
      If you look at the UI changes they made for the bigger screen, it isn't just a big iPod touch.
    - aresant 16y ago
      different device entirely. - big screen is a big part of it, but the refined email application, and substantial improvement in speed is equally as relevant.
    - masklinn 16y ago
      Though it's not really, they introduced new controls and chromes which don't make sense on a phone's screen (but do on a tablet's) and the device to screen ratio is completely different. It looks like a big ipod touch (which means people are rapidly familiar with it), but it feels very differently. And of course, even if it were just a big ipod touch none of Apple's (potential) competitors in the field have such a platform.
  - illumin8 16y ago
    The problem is that hardware is becoming somewhat easier, but the software is not there yet. Apple definitely did a lot of work on iOS and it shows.
  - chopsueyar 16y ago
    Maybe you need an aPad? http://www.ipmart.com/main/product/APad,China,iPad,,7,0,Inch,Touch,Screen,Tablet,PC,MID,Entertainment,and,Internet,Device,,With,OS,Android,1,5,,,Silver,204092.php?prod=204092 http://www.ipmart.com/main/product/APad,China,iPad,,7,0,Inch...
- ugh 16y ago
  Recently they were also used to read speeches off, as seen two weeks ago in the German parliament: http://webtv.bundestag.de/iptv/player/macros/_v_f_514_de/od_player.html?singleton=true&content=650527 http://webtv.bundestag.de/iptv/player/macros/_v_f_514_de/od_... :) (More background information: http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,702119,00.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,702119,00...)
- mlongo 16y ago
  In Brazilian TV networks we are starting to see them in the hands of news anchors and talk show hosts all the time. Several channels that are covering the Word Cup (in Brazil that is almost all of them :-) have the hosts reading information off iPads.
  - chadgeidel 16y ago
    Jake Humphrey has been lugging an iPad around during the BBC coverage of F1 since they were released. It's fairly prominent and I was wondering if Apple put it there.
    - bonaldi 16y ago
      if it's on the BBC there's no way Apple put it there. There are very strict rules about that. Is the Apple logo even visible? They'll usually blank it out.
      - chadgeidel 16y ago
        I have never seen the logo as he's usually holding it in such a way that it's not visible but it's clearly and iPad. They may have put a silver "sticker" over the Apple logo on the back.
- thought_alarm 16y ago
  I'm not surprised. A tablet requires software that manufacturers are unable to write (except for HP, now) and their traditional software partner has nothing remotely ready for them. So they turn to Google. Apple added a number of new APIs and UI extensions in order to make the iPhone OS suitable for a large screen. Until Google does the same with Android we'll be stuck with nothing but big Android cell phones.
  - protomyth 16y ago
    add to the software edge, the base price of $499 doesn't leave a lot of room for other companies to build one at a decent profit.
  - ZeroGravitas 16y ago
    There's plenty of footage of Android tablets running everything from 1.5 to 2.2 and nothing obvious is missing from casual inspection of people playing games, surfing the web etc. What do you think is missing, or to say it another way, why is the iPad not just a big cell phone (minus the ability to make calls)?.
    - thought_alarm 16y ago
      The deficiencies look quite obvious to me: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2010/05/android-tablet-prototypes-not-yet-ready-for-prime-time.ars http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2010/05/android-tablet-p... I'll put it this way: The iPad would not be a compelling device if it merely ran iPhone software at a higher resolution. Hardware-wise, the iPad is nothing but an iPod Touch with a giant screen and a giant battery. Software-wise, it's everything but an iPod or iPhone; the use cases are very different. A touch-surface that's 5 times larger than an iPhone enables a much richer and more sophisticated UI, and this is evident in the iPad SDK, Apple's iPad software, and the successful 3rd-party iPad software. Google needs to define their tablet HIG, they need to update their SDK to implement their HIG, they need to update their built-in apps to take advantage of the new SDK, and they need to get their 3rd party developers on board. All of this takes time, and I would not expect it to take shape before the spring or summer of 2011 (they're still "feverishly working" to get Android 2.2 out the door). Anything less will result in a product that's not as compelling as the iPad. That said, I have no doubt that manufacturers will try to sell Android tablets before the Android OS is ready, and I have every confidence that those tablets will fail in the marketplace. But eventually there will be compelling Android tablets.
- wallflower 16y ago
  > As a pure consumer device, tablets - preferably slightly larger ones - are just begging for deployment as a family boardgame platform. http://gametableapp.com/ http://gametableapp.com/ A generic constrained board is interesting.
  - anigbrowl 16y ago
    Exactly - I was just envisioning something big enough to fit in 2 kids at the side too.I think once you hit ~8.5 x 11" screen area it become practical to play monopoly or scrabble, but not so big as to be unwieldy.
- vaksel 16y ago
  the iPad sells because it's an apple product, everyone gotta have..not because it's a tablet.
- zyb09 16y ago
  I'm a little bit wondering why Microsoft hasn't surprised us yet. Yea Microsoft. They had this Surface thing for years, which is allegedly pretty cool, why not turn it into a tablet? They also showed a pretty slick prototype, that later got canceled, despite the positive impressions. And It's not like it's a small company with no resources or money.
  - wallflower 16y ago
    This will explain everything. > Real artists ship, dabblers create concept products > But there does appear to be a weak correlation between a company’s ability to churn out concept products and its ability to design, manufacture and profitably sell products based on those. http://counternotions.com/2008/08/12/concept-products/ http://counternotions.com/2008/08/12/concept-products/ Cached: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=cache%3AQtB0TJb8KvAJ%3Acounternotions.com%2F2008%2F08%2F12%2Fconcept-products%2F http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?oe=UTF-8&hl...
    - dejb 16y ago
      There have been commercial windows tablet computers out for years now. From a number of different manufacturers. I think their problem was that they went with the stylus interface instead of fingers. That and they don't have that 'reality distortion/influence field' of Apple to make everyone believe that whatever new computing paradigm they introduce is the way of the future.
      - wallflower 16y ago
        Yes, Windows tablet computers relied on the stylus. I've used a couple. Did you read the article? The article is not about the relative minor success of Windows-based tablets; it is about how the lack of constraints on price (how much it will cost to manufacture) and manufacturing (how you will make it on a mass scale) can make prototype concepts alluringly too easy. For example, Apple had to develop state-of-the-art manufacturing technology to produce the Aluminum unibody MacBook. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0fe800C2CU&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0fe800C2CU&feature=relat...
singer 16y ago
Has anyone tried to buy an iPad at Best Buy recently? They have been sold out in my area for a while, and they have no idea when they'll get more since Apple randomly ships them to Best Buy stores.
- d0m 16y ago
  Oh wait, it's been 2 years I have some bestbuy gift card and I never knew what to buy with it!
- honopu 16y ago
  I am not sure why this is downvoted, but I did stop by Best Buy here in Cincinnati and they only had two 64gb 3g ipads, and said they had not received any of the 16 or 32gb wifi ipads in the last few weeks.
- thenduks 16y ago
  Does Apple offer free shipping in your area? Rather than wait an unknown timeframe, just order one online - then keep checking with WorstBuy and if they get some in before it ships you can just cancel the order. Worked for me :)
  - singer 16y ago
    Good plan... if I didn't have gift cards to Best Buy.
    - eru 16y ago
      Sell the cards on ebay or so.
    - thenduks 16y ago
      I'm sure you can find something else to use the gift cards on :)
- josefresco 16y ago
  I ordered my 3G version online on May 29 and received it by June 16th. I found that to be easier (albeit longer) than camping out in front of Best Buy.
aresant 16y ago
I've noticed from the developer side that our iPad app downloads are really strong compared to the relatively low #s - I dont know if we're just better suited for that format - anybody else notice that?
- tortilla 16y ago
  Probably because there's currently less noise in the marketplace. Also the iPad itself is a much better device to browse and search apps than the iPhone.
snewe 16y ago
Press release: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/apple-sells-three-million-ipads-in-80-days-96885659.html http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/apple-sells-three-mi...
bradleyland 16y ago
This is a device that received a strong negative reaction from many in the (non-Apple-worshiping) tech press. It just goes to show you how out of touch many of them are with what really excites users.
- robryan 16y ago
  It's one of those devices which you can sell really easily to people even if they may not need it. Combined with Apples always effective marketing.
- tjogin 16y ago
  Yeah, or maybe it shows that you actually weren't an "Apple worshipper" just because it was obvious to you that the iPad was going to be huge.
- nkassis 16y ago
  I don't know, I knew many people who wanted such a device, I was just hoping someone other than Apple would make one too. It was obvious for years that tablet had potential but for some weird reason, no one saw how crappy windows was on a tablet. At least none of the manufacturers noticed it. I got a macbook tablet mod for one of my bosses in the past. It was unusable considering OSX wasn't built for touchscreens (exactly like Windows tablet). Android has been out for years now. They could have seen the tide coming and released a tablet running it way before apple. But they didn't. They just seem to want to leech of apple's market research.
- halo 16y ago
  Windows Vista sells nearly 40 million licenses in the first 100 days (http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/16/microsoft-vista-sells-nearly-40-million-licenses-in-first-100-d/ http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/16/microsoft-vista-sells-nea...). This is an operating system which received a strong negative reaction from many in the (non-Microsoft-worshiping) tech press. It just goes to show you how out of touch many of them are with what really excites users.
  - masklinn 16y ago
rokhayakebe 16y ago
Most people want to see 3M in 80 days, but it is more like 3M in 3000 days. Correct me if I am wrong, but Apple started to work on these touch screen technology (which I guess is the foundation of the Ipad) since 2001. Or at least that's what I heard during Jobs'D8 interview.
- chris24 16y ago
  They haven't been _selling_ them for 3000 days.
  - jasonlotito 16y ago
    But they have been selling the iPad for more than 80 days. Of course, Apple never counts the pre-order period.
- czhiddy 16y ago
  Using that logic, it's 3M sold in about 40 years, since that's about when the first microprocessors were developed.
  - rokhayakebe 16y ago
    That is different I believe. The key feature for the Ipad would be it's touch screen technology.

48 points by mlongo 16y ago

I'm somewhat surprised that none of the other manufacturers has brought a similar product to market yet - well, a few have, but in a muted, almost diffident fashion. Given the lead time and the existence of fairly competitive hardware already deployed in netbooks, I had expected that Asus or someone would move more aggressively to get a foothold in this opening market rather than allowing Apple to brand the form factor. Perhaps they are calculating on launching competing products for late summer (for students going back to school) or Christmas (the family sofa computer). there are a lot of commercial possibilities going unexploited at present. I'm already seeing iPads deployed commercially; at the mall the other day, I saw someone using one to take consumer surveys, and I noticed over a year ago that 7-11 stores use (older) tablets for inventory management. As a pure consumer device, tablets - preferably slightly larger ones - are just begging for deployment as a family boardgame platform.

nkassis 16y ago
Yeah, I don't get it either. I find it odd they did not see the iPad coming. I guess I'm looking at it with hindsight but an device running the iPhone OS was rumored way before the release. An android tablet could have been out and running before the iPad. It seems they were just waiting to see if apple could sell any and then start building one. Pretty crappy way to tag along on another companies research and marketing. I just want a damn tablet with android with decent specs. I don't care if it's flat like a pancake. Make it 720p with a front facing camera and at least 32gb of flash memory. Then ew nvidia chip and BLAM, I'll buy it so will all the real computer users. :)
- Terretta 16y ago
  > I'll buy it so will all the real computer users. :) There are considerably fewer “real computer users” than non computer users. Let's face it: “real computer users” are a niche.
  - wazoox 16y ago
    Yep. The ones who had computers in the 80s, and bemoan that you can't program on windows out-of-box.
- glhaynes 16y ago
  I think everybody was assuming: "There's no way they'll just release a big iPod touch." Nobody thought the formula for a successful tablet could be defined so simply.
  - protomyth 16y ago
    If you look at the UI changes they made for the bigger screen, it isn't just a big iPod touch.
  - aresant 16y ago
    different device entirely. - big screen is a big part of it, but the refined email application, and substantial improvement in speed is equally as relevant.
  - masklinn 16y ago
    Though it's not really, they introduced new controls and chromes which don't make sense on a phone's screen (but do on a tablet's) and the device to screen ratio is completely different. It looks like a big ipod touch (which means people are rapidly familiar with it), but it feels very differently. And of course, even if it were just a big ipod touch none of Apple's (potential) competitors in the field have such a platform.
- illumin8 16y ago
  The problem is that hardware is becoming somewhat easier, but the software is not there yet. Apple definitely did a lot of work on iOS and it shows.
- chopsueyar 16y ago
  Maybe you need an aPad? http://www.ipmart.com/main/product/APad,China,iPad,,7,0,Inch,Touch,Screen,Tablet,PC,MID,Entertainment,and,Internet,Device,,With,OS,Android,1,5,,,Silver,204092.php?prod=204092 http://www.ipmart.com/main/product/APad,China,iPad,,7,0,Inch...
ugh 16y ago
Recently they were also used to read speeches off, as seen two weeks ago in the German parliament: http://webtv.bundestag.de/iptv/player/macros/_v_f_514_de/od_player.html?singleton=true&content=650527 http://webtv.bundestag.de/iptv/player/macros/_v_f_514_de/od_... :) (More background information: http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,702119,00.html http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,702119,00...)
mlongo 16y ago
In Brazilian TV networks we are starting to see them in the hands of news anchors and talk show hosts all the time. Several channels that are covering the Word Cup (in Brazil that is almost all of them :-) have the hosts reading information off iPads.
- chadgeidel 16y ago
  Jake Humphrey has been lugging an iPad around during the BBC coverage of F1 since they were released. It's fairly prominent and I was wondering if Apple put it there.
  - bonaldi 16y ago
    if it's on the BBC there's no way Apple put it there. There are very strict rules about that. Is the Apple logo even visible? They'll usually blank it out.
    - chadgeidel 16y ago
      I have never seen the logo as he's usually holding it in such a way that it's not visible but it's clearly and iPad. They may have put a silver "sticker" over the Apple logo on the back.
thought_alarm 16y ago
I'm not surprised. A tablet requires software that manufacturers are unable to write (except for HP, now) and their traditional software partner has nothing remotely ready for them. So they turn to Google. Apple added a number of new APIs and UI extensions in order to make the iPhone OS suitable for a large screen. Until Google does the same with Android we'll be stuck with nothing but big Android cell phones.
- protomyth 16y ago
  add to the software edge, the base price of $499 doesn't leave a lot of room for other companies to build one at a decent profit.
- ZeroGravitas 16y ago
  There's plenty of footage of Android tablets running everything from 1.5 to 2.2 and nothing obvious is missing from casual inspection of people playing games, surfing the web etc. What do you think is missing, or to say it another way, why is the iPad not just a big cell phone (minus the ability to make calls)?.
  - thought_alarm 16y ago
    The deficiencies look quite obvious to me: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2010/05/android-tablet-prototypes-not-yet-ready-for-prime-time.ars http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2010/05/android-tablet-p... I'll put it this way: The iPad would not be a compelling device if it merely ran iPhone software at a higher resolution. Hardware-wise, the iPad is nothing but an iPod Touch with a giant screen and a giant battery. Software-wise, it's everything but an iPod or iPhone; the use cases are very different. A touch-surface that's 5 times larger than an iPhone enables a much richer and more sophisticated UI, and this is evident in the iPad SDK, Apple's iPad software, and the successful 3rd-party iPad software. Google needs to define their tablet HIG, they need to update their SDK to implement their HIG, they need to update their built-in apps to take advantage of the new SDK, and they need to get their 3rd party developers on board. All of this takes time, and I would not expect it to take shape before the spring or summer of 2011 (they're still "feverishly working" to get Android 2.2 out the door). Anything less will result in a product that's not as compelling as the iPad. That said, I have no doubt that manufacturers will try to sell Android tablets before the Android OS is ready, and I have every confidence that those tablets will fail in the marketplace. But eventually there will be compelling Android tablets.
wallflower 16y ago
> As a pure consumer device, tablets - preferably slightly larger ones - are just begging for deployment as a family boardgame platform. http://gametableapp.com/ http://gametableapp.com/ A generic constrained board is interesting.
- anigbrowl 16y ago
  Exactly - I was just envisioning something big enough to fit in 2 kids at the side too.I think once you hit ~8.5 x 11" screen area it become practical to play monopoly or scrabble, but not so big as to be unwieldy.
vaksel 16y ago
the iPad sells because it's an apple product, everyone gotta have..not because it's a tablet.
zyb09 16y ago
I'm a little bit wondering why Microsoft hasn't surprised us yet. Yea Microsoft. They had this Surface thing for years, which is allegedly pretty cool, why not turn it into a tablet? They also showed a pretty slick prototype, that later got canceled, despite the positive impressions. And It's not like it's a small company with no resources or money.
- wallflower 16y ago
  This will explain everything. > Real artists ship, dabblers create concept products > But there does appear to be a weak correlation between a company’s ability to churn out concept products and its ability to design, manufacture and profitably sell products based on those. http://counternotions.com/2008/08/12/concept-products/ http://counternotions.com/2008/08/12/concept-products/ Cached: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=cache%3AQtB0TJb8KvAJ%3Acounternotions.com%2F2008%2F08%2F12%2Fconcept-products%2F http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?oe=UTF-8&hl...
  - dejb 16y ago
    There have been commercial windows tablet computers out for years now. From a number of different manufacturers. I think their problem was that they went with the stylus interface instead of fingers. That and they don't have that 'reality distortion/influence field' of Apple to make everyone believe that whatever new computing paradigm they introduce is the way of the future.
    - wallflower 16y ago
      Yes, Windows tablet computers relied on the stylus. I've used a couple. Did you read the article? The article is not about the relative minor success of Windows-based tablets; it is about how the lack of constraints on price (how much it will cost to manufacture) and manufacturing (how you will make it on a mass scale) can make prototype concepts alluringly too easy. For example, Apple had to develop state-of-the-art manufacturing technology to produce the Aluminum unibody MacBook. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0fe800C2CU&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0fe800C2CU&feature=relat...

singer 16y ago

Has anyone tried to buy an iPad at Best Buy recently? They have been sold out in my area for a while, and they have no idea when they'll get more since Apple randomly ships them to Best Buy stores.

d0m 16y ago
Oh wait, it's been 2 years I have some bestbuy gift card and I never knew what to buy with it!
honopu 16y ago
I am not sure why this is downvoted, but I did stop by Best Buy here in Cincinnati and they only had two 64gb 3g ipads, and said they had not received any of the 16 or 32gb wifi ipads in the last few weeks.
thenduks 16y ago
Does Apple offer free shipping in your area? Rather than wait an unknown timeframe, just order one online - then keep checking with WorstBuy and if they get some in before it ships you can just cancel the order. Worked for me :)
- singer 16y ago
  Good plan... if I didn't have gift cards to Best Buy.
  - eru 16y ago
    Sell the cards on ebay or so.
  - thenduks 16y ago
    I'm sure you can find something else to use the gift cards on :)
josefresco 16y ago
I ordered my 3G version online on May 29 and received it by June 16th. I found that to be easier (albeit longer) than camping out in front of Best Buy.

aresant 16y ago

I've noticed from the developer side that our iPad app downloads are really strong compared to the relatively low #s - I dont know if we're just better suited for that format - anybody else notice that?

tortilla 16y ago
Probably because there's currently less noise in the marketplace. Also the iPad itself is a much better device to browse and search apps than the iPhone.

snewe 16y ago

Press release: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/apple-sells-three-million-ipads-in-80-days-96885659.html http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/apple-sells-three-mi...

bradleyland 16y ago

This is a device that received a strong negative reaction from many in the (non-Apple-worshiping) tech press. It just goes to show you how out of touch many of them are with what really excites users.

robryan 16y ago
It's one of those devices which you can sell really easily to people even if they may not need it. Combined with Apples always effective marketing.
tjogin 16y ago
Yeah, or maybe it shows that you actually weren't an "Apple worshipper" just because it was obvious to you that the iPad was going to be huge.
nkassis 16y ago
I don't know, I knew many people who wanted such a device, I was just hoping someone other than Apple would make one too. It was obvious for years that tablet had potential but for some weird reason, no one saw how crappy windows was on a tablet. At least none of the manufacturers noticed it. I got a macbook tablet mod for one of my bosses in the past. It was unusable considering OSX wasn't built for touchscreens (exactly like Windows tablet). Android has been out for years now. They could have seen the tide coming and released a tablet running it way before apple. But they didn't. They just seem to want to leech of apple's market research.
halo 16y ago
Windows Vista sells nearly 40 million licenses in the first 100 days (http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/16/microsoft-vista-sells-nearly-40-million-licenses-in-first-100-d/ http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/16/microsoft-vista-sells-nea...). This is an operating system which received a strong negative reaction from many in the (non-Microsoft-worshiping) tech press. It just goes to show you how out of touch many of them are with what really excites users.
- masklinn 16y ago

rokhayakebe 16y ago

Most people want to see 3M in 80 days, but it is more like 3M in 3000 days. Correct me if I am wrong, but Apple started to work on these touch screen technology (which I guess is the foundation of the Ipad) since 2001. Or at least that's what I heard during Jobs'D8 interview.

chris24 16y ago
They haven't been _selling_ them for 3000 days.
- jasonlotito 16y ago
  But they have been selling the iPad for more than 80 days. Of course, Apple never counts the pre-order period.
czhiddy 16y ago
Using that logic, it's 3M sold in about 40 years, since that's about when the first microprocessors were developed.
- rokhayakebe 16y ago
  That is different I believe. The key feature for the Ipad would be it's touch screen technology.