As The Reg noticed – and MacDailyNews also pointed out – Apple’s press release refers only to ‘deliveries of pre-ordered iPads to customers, deliveries to channel partners and sales at Apple Retail Stores,'” Myslewski reports. “Missing from that 300,000 figure are pre-sales for the iPad Wi-Fi + 3G, for which Apple has been banking pre-orders since March 12.”
Myslewski reports, “Including the yet-to-be-delivered 3G iPads, which are scheduled to be released on an unspecified date later this month, total iPad orders and sales may be more in the 400,000 to 500,000 range. But Apple, to no one’s surprise, isn’t providing specific figures.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: In one end and out the other: “Unless Apple issues a correction to their press release from this morning, we strongly believe that Apple has sold 400,000-500,000 iPad units in the US as of midnight Saturday, April 3. These sales included deliveries of pre-ordered iPads (“Wi-Fi” and “Wif-Fi + 3G” models), deliveries to channel partners and sales at Apple Retail Stores.” – MacDailyNews Take, April 05, 2010, 1:44 PM EDT
They don’t count as sold until the customer is charged for them. That won’t happen until they begin to ship. SO there should be a nice bump in sales at the end of the month when the 3Gs are actually shipping to customers as well as the markets outside the US which get them about the same time.
I think that after this initial surge sales will drop back and then steadily climb to very high levels. Especially when businesses can buy in quantity.
Well I’m 400,001 for sure. 64 + 3G
As I couldn’t wait for a 3G iPad, I purchased a WI-Fi model. I then started wondering what my wireless option may still be. Well, for all the complaining that people do about ATT, I see Verizon is $69 for 5GB monthly with a 2-year contract.
I now think all the complaining on MDN and other sites about ATT is being done by Verizon marketing people.
With that said, I wish ATT would provide a MiFi like product.
“over 300,000” doesn’t rule out 500,000 or even 700,000
Anybody else holding out for 3G? Let’s take the temperature.
If the iPad reflects Apple’s normal sales distribution, 50%+ of sales will come from international markets. May will likely see a big bump in sales when the iPad starts to ship in international markets…
Everyone is also ignoring the fact that for about the last week of pre-orders (before April 3rd), the “ships by” date for the WiFi iPad at the online Apple Store was April 12th. It still says April 12th right now. Therefore, not only are all the 3G iPad pre-orders not being counted as sales, there is a significant number of WiFi iPad pre-orders that are still not “delivered.” That number is probably large, because the last week before April 3rd was when the Apple hype machine went into overdrive.
The only thing holding those numbers back is production capacity, the same thing that is holding back international sales.
OK, MDN – jump off your soapbox. Apple DID NOT sell any iPad 3Gs because they have not been delivered to customers or shipped to retailers yet. So the analysts who are citing Apple’s figures are correct.
They were just incorrect in their estimate *–I mean guess–* about what Apple would sell the first day.
The fact is the iPad beat the iPhone out of the gates. Sounds like a success to me.
“But that figure is an uncharacteristic understatement by Cupertino’s hyperactive hypemeisters.”
Isn’t Apple always ultra conservative when it reports any numbers of any kind? I’m not getting the “Uncharacteristic” statement from the author.
They will have sold over a million by the end of April.
Well, I sure hope there were a lot more people that thought ahead enough to think that they might someday want to their iPad somewhere out of range of wifi!! I’m getting one of each but for the more normal person
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” /> who only gets one, why get the model that you can never use in the park, at the beach, on the boat, etc.?
That’s why I’m in semi-agreement with the 1 million estimate. If 300,000 want the ‘limited’ edition, think how many want the ‘use anywhere’ model! Of course, some could be returning the WiFi’s but you only have 14 days and it costs 10%, right? (I think that’s what my receipt said. )
As a very conservative estimate…even if Apple on Saturday “only” sold 300,000 of the cheapest model ($499) and even if they sold “no” accessories and services…
Then 300,000 x $500 = $150 Million Dollars in sales for a single first day.
And since net profit is around 50%…$75 Million net profit for one day.
Not too shabby.
Using MDN poll, Apple had 337,500 preorders of 3G models. When they ship the first 3G iPad, there will be over 1 million sold.
RE hardmanb
Don’t you love how Apple takes your hard earned money and milks you at 50% profit and high prices?
Talk about not to shabby!
I preordered my iPad 64gb w/ 3g. Can’t wait to get it delivered.
Isn’t that a bit light on? I thought this was the next big thing?
Where’s the new Macs? Isn’t that Apple’s core business?
@ Sammy
When you’re good at what you do, you can demand high margins.
You obviously don’t own your own business.
@Sammy
Find me another device with “same” specs that is cheaper.
@ Sammy
If you don’t think the product is worth the cost, don’t buy it. It’s that simple.
That would be gross profit not net. Apple has been able to obtain in the low 30% gross margins for a while now. However for more than a year they have warned that new products would be lowering that number.
We’ll see what unfolds through the month, but this clearly is not what Apple and, especially, MDN expected.
I wonder if their figure includes and business orders that technically were not delivered on Saturday, but most likely today?
Yer right, Sammy! Or should I say PlayNice? Apple’s cut is 50%, and their prices are way too high and yet they still can produce a product that people actually want to buy! By the way, how’s that Zune working out for you? You can get them really cheap now.
There is a reason why Apple has not included (actually, accounted for) iPads yet to be delivered: under the rules of Accounting, Apple cannot officially count the undelivered iPads as having been sold – yet.
Frankly, this is all much ado about nothing. Essentially, we are talking about only one day of sales. It would make better sense to review this again once Apple announces the results of the current fiscal quarter. That should include the initial 3G version pre-orders and sales, and serve as a benchmark of true sales interest in a longer time period.
My favorite company does a better job than any other in terms of generating consumer interest at a launch. But to Apple and its investors, what matters is how sales maintain momentum over time. My advice is not to read too much into analyst reports and speculative reporters’ articles.
If you look at the history of sales of the iPod and the iPhone over a period of one, two and three years, you will see that early adopters waited in line, but the bigger issue was how the general public (of non-fanboys like us) embrace the iPad. If the iPad is becomes the success that the iPod and iPhone have been, in years two and three, you will see a significant jump in sales.
One day does not a trend make. But it does indicate a significant amount of pent-up demand. As for me, I believe that the launch of the iPad will create an entirely new category of computing and information tools. That is why I find comparisons with laptops somewhat superfluous. There are many people who simply don’t “get it” right now, but over time, they will come to understand the place of the iPad and why it matters.
So don’t feed the trolls. They are but a few people who simply hate success and hate what they probably will never understand. Actually, it’s amusing to see the ignorant terrified of the future and of changes that will benefit society.