“As I wrote previously, only Apple could ship limited quantities of its iPod Mini in an attempt both show that it can meet a shipping schedule and then claim that the demand for the product is so high that it can’t make enough product to satisfy demand. I suppose that’s one version of what’s happening. But the truth, of course, is that Apple didn’t meet its February for shipping the iPod Mini in quantity in the US, and now it won’t meet its self-imposed deadline of shipping the iPod Mini worldwide in April either. That’s because, today, Apple announced that the product won’t ship until July,” Paul Thurrott writes for Internet Nexus.
“You may recall that Apple quickly announced that it had received 100,000 pre-orders for the iPod Mini but subsequently never mentioned how many they made so far, how many they’ve shipped to customers, or how many further iPod Mini orders they’d received. I suspect 100,000 is pretty close to the whole run, and on that note, I stand by my assertion that the iPod Mini isn’t a sales phenomenon at all,” Thurrott writes.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: CNET reports that Greg Joswiak, vice president of hardware product marketing at Apple stated today, “We expected it to be a hit, but (demand) is turning out to be stronger than expected,” Joswiak said. “U.S. demand is going to consume all the supply we had planned through June.” If Thurrott thinks Apple had planned to sell only 100,000 iPod minis through June, he’s even more delusional than we had previously thought. We think Paul’s in for quite a shock when iPod mini (and iPod) sales numbers are released.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple shares up on iPod mini sales news; Apple consuming ‘just about all the 4 GB 1-inch drives being made’ – March 25, 2004
Thurrott: Apple iPod mini off to a ‘slow start’ with only 100,000+ preorders – February 20, 2004
Thurrott gives first impressions of Apple’s iPod mini – March 10, 2004
Well, according to NPD techworld, iPod sales rose 8% in February to 33% of the ENTIRE MP3 player market, it’s closest competitor being RCA with 13.5% (iRiver had 10% of the market.) This increase in iPod unit sales was most likely due to the Mini. When you consider that it took the mini 2 weeks to do what the original iPod did in 6 weeks, that’s pretty phenominal IMO.
Living in denial is not good for your mental health, Paul.
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It may be a good idea NOT to release that many minis onto the market, to create an artificial need, and pent-up demand.
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And… making comments about another’s personality or mental condition when one has only read their column is laughable at best.
Please, let’s not lower ourselves to that of the perceived MacHatred of PT by irrational hatred of him as a person.
IOW, hating the lies, not the person behind them.