It was almost to be expected, right? The original iPad launch saw inventory run out rather quickly, and online order shipping times didn't exactly come down until last summer as Apple upped the pace to replenish supplies. It appears that the iPad 2's launch this weekend is going the way of its predecessor, as the only model left at Apple's Fifth Ave store today was the $829 Verizon 3G model.
Fortune was reporting that Apple's Fifth Avenue store in New York City, which carries a sense of pride as being the world's best-supplied Apple store, had run out of all but the 64 GB Verizon 3G model as of 11:00 pm Friday. This was only a mere 6 hours after the store had started admitting a crowd that Apple unofficially estimated as being between 1,200 and 2,000 customers.
"You should have seen it," said one staffer. "The minute we announced that we only had Verizon iPads left, half the line disappeared."
The staffer speculates that one reason for the lack of interest in the Verizon model, was because the high percentage of first-day buyers were there to supply gray-market iPads for re-sale overseas. Since the AT&T edition of the iPad maintains GSM technology, which is the same tech used in most parts of the world, and the fact that they're sold "unlocked," means that the iPads could work in most countries by merely replacing the SIM card.
Follow this article's author, Matthew Tilmann on Twitter
jgreds07
March 13, 2011 at 3:39pm
i ordered my 64GB white WIFI version as well as the camera kit adapator online through apple at 1:40am march 11th... Received an email from apple saying they are processing my order estimated times for delivery for the Ipad 2 is march 18-25th via free standard shipping the camera adapter has shipped out and will deliver by march 16th... It was all in one order, sucks wish they would have shipped it all out together. It does me no good to have a ipad camera adaptor with no Ipad2 to connect it to... But i guess it beats having to wait in line for hours and be disappointed when they run out of the model i want... Hopefully apple will ship it sooner than later and i could enjoy it on the 16th! wishful thinking
agrudsky
March 12, 2011 at 9:12pm
I went today on Saturday, one day after the iPad 2 launch date, to an Apple store in the mall of Ridgedale, Minnesota. Everything was out. The employee that we talked to said that he thinks right now every Apple store in the nation is sold out of iPad 2's. We called the Apple store in The Mall of America. They were also out. The Apple store employee also said that he is certain that all of the Apple stores in Minnesota are out of iPad 2's. Anyways, we're going to wait until Tuesday and buy one at 10 AM, when they get the first shipment. That really sucks.
jjtrindc
March 12, 2011 at 1:27pm
Here in Northern Virginia, everything is out. Tried Apple Stores in Clarendon and Tysons Corner. Stopped in at a Target, Best Buy and AT&T store as well. Best Buy website can check store inventory and EVERY store in the region is out of the 64gb Wifi + 3g ATT Black version. Oh, and FYI, AT&T not even offering 64gb version of the iPad2 on their website. Basically, the only option is to play roulette. Order from Apple, put yourself on the pre-order list at a Best Buy store and then check in daily at various places for possible new stock.
