Needham analyst: Unending iPad 2 lines create ‘shock and awe,’ sales forecasts surge

“More than two weeks after the iPad 2 went on sale in the U.S., lines continue to form at Apple stores around the country as new shipments arrive, prompting one Wall Street analyst to significantly increase his forecast for 2011 shipments,” AppleInsider reports.

“Analyst Charlie Wolf with Needham & Company issued a new note to investors on Tuesday entitled ‘AAPL: Shock and Awe!’ In it, Wolf reveals he has increased his projected iPad sales for 2011 by 10 million, to a total of 30 million,” AppleInsider reports.

“Wolf has also increased his prediction for 2012 iPad sales by 10 million, totaling 40 million next year,” AppleInsider reports. “‘Attempting to forecast the growth trajectory of a new category of computers is difficult, if not perilous,’ Wolf wrote. ‘However, the launch of the iPad 2 so far exceeded our expectations that it was evident our 2011 and 2012 shipment forecasts were dramatically low.'”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: For some reason, “iPad unit sales estimates are too low” sounds so familiar.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]

26 Comments

  1. I don’t believe this story! They are lining up either for RIM’s Playbook or the Xoom. Incidentally, whatever happened to the Xoom? Was it actually released? There was wall-to-wall coverage of the device, but now ……

    1. ‘They are lining up either for RIM’s Playbook or the Xoom.’ ???????

      I thought these lines were outside the Apple store. Apple is selling the Playbook and the Xoom for Rim and Moto? Wow…that is nice of them!

  2. While it’s obvious iPad2 is a huge success, it seems these “estimate revision” missives by analyst (who have a vested interest in Apple stock) are a bit self-serving.

  3. I’ve noticed more and more books being published about Experts being wrong, wrong, wrong. “Experts all the way down”; “Wrong: Why Experts Keep Failing Us”; “The experts are wrong”; “Why the Experts Keep Getting It Wrong”.

  4. … that they made this revision well before the fact. A year ago they were still short-counting the iPad and calling it a flash in the pan. That said, I’m kind of hoping the lines will go away sooner, rather than later. Preferably due to improved supplies. Why? ‘Cuz I don’t want to wait in line to get mine. And get one, I will.

      1. I ordered mine – Black 64 AT&T – the minute MacConnection started taking orders at 5PM ET March 11 and got it free 2 day air no sales tax 12.5 days later last Thursday morning. Digital AV Adapter arrives Friday. Saved $87 in California sales tax. Didn’t have to suffer any line waiting time at all. Fits perfectly in last year’s Apple Case. Boy is it ever fast. It will blow your mind how much fast it is vs the original which I also got from MacConnection last year. 😉

        1. Doesn’t fit quite as snug in the case as iPad 1, which is a bit of a drag for overal protection. Its great for lying around the living room though and for general protection. iPad 2 is about 1/4″ smaller in height and width (~) it’s also thinner and the case openings need to be surgically enlarged or modified, to line up with the the ports and switches, lenses and speaker.

          Apple should remake the same case fro iPad 2, it’s indestructible, a perfect fit and has saved my iPad from shattering many times. It is the real unsung hero. If you write them they might.

  5. People are missing the real news within the news….
    “‘Attempting to forecast the growth trajectory of a new category of computers is difficult, if not perilous,’ Wolf wrote.
    NOTE THE USE OF THE WORD ‘computers’. Is the rest of the world going to classify the iPad as a ‘computer’ now? if so, Apple is going to blow ALL numbers out of the water for computer sales compared to all manufacturers.

  6. WTF kind of forecast is this? This is like changing your NCAA bracket after the first round due to a bunch of upsets.
    I’m going to wait until Apple releases the final numbers to give my forecast.

    1. If Apple can produce 50 million in 2011, they will sell 50 million. It really depends on available supply of components or rate of production, whichever becomes the key constraint. Making the sale is NOT the constraint; it IS the key constraint for everyone else, however. 🙂

  7. @Paul,

    No suppression is necessary. There is no competition, wiiiiide open market for iPad2. When have we ever seen worldwide demand for a relatively new product space?

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