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Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

Summary: The Apple iPad sales just keep ramping. The company said that it has sold 3 million iPads in 80 days.

Larry Dignan

By for Between the Lines |

Updated: The Apple iPad sales just keep ramping. The company said that it has sold 3 million iPads in 80 days.

That tally eclipses most expectations going into the iPad launch.

Apple also said developers have created 11,000 iPad specific apps. The iPad cycle combined with the launch of the iPhone 4 are both expected to contribute to the best product cycle in Apple history.

Also: iPad topic center Apple topic center Tech bigwigs in love with Apple’s iPad, push business case iPad Office app showdown: Four apps to help you get work done

Chris Whitmore, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, said the iPhone and iPad upgrade cycle is unrivaled. He added:

Apple is beginning the strongest product cycle in the company’s history, led by the iPad and iPhone 4 release later this week. iPhone demand is off the charts (600K+ pre-orders on first day) and iPad uptake remains strong; both appear to be tracking ahead of our previous expectation.

Regarding the iPad, Whitmore said:

iPad continues to show robust demand as order lead times remain extended at 7-10 days and stock-out across Apple’s retail footprint continue through June despite improving supply. In addition, the iPad is still being rolled out globally, which should drive improving 2H unit trends. As a result, we raise our iPad unit estimate to 12M from 5M for CY10 and 17M (vs. prior 7.5M) for CY11.

Indeed, it appears that iPad sales may actually be accelerating. It only took Apple 21 days to sell 1 million incremental iPads.

Other key iPad sales milestones of note:

Topics: iPad, Apple, Enterprise Software, Mobility

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45 comments
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  • the naysayers

    and wasn't that all obvious in january? to pretty much anyone i guess. only here in apple hating geek land people could actually think that the lack of an usb-port or a camera would hold sales back. game over.

    ?Some traditional PC folks feel like their world is slipping away. It is." steve jobs

    p.s. let the vaporous android, web os tablets coming soon posts begin in 3, 2, 1...
    banned from zdnet
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

      @banned from zdnet <br><br>Agreed! I'm waiting for the comments about how all those people are "cool aid drinking idiots", "fanboi's" etc. and no, I don't own an iPad. Despite it's lack of USB, a camera, Flash, etc. etc., it was pretty easy to see the potential. Unless of course you had, "I hate Apple" blinders on.<br><br>The iPod was not just another music player, the iPhone was not just another phone and the iPad is not just another computing device. They all have opened an industries eyes to new possibilities.<br><br>I sincerely hope at least one or two other companies do produce a competitive product that pushes Apple to keep enhancing the iPad.
      psquared007
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

        @psquared007
        "I sincerely hope at least one or two other companies do produce a competitive product that pushes Apple to keep enhancing the iPad."

        They will. They have the best R&D in the world, Apple itself. Of course they'll always be one generation or more behind Apple's latest version.
        gtdworak
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

        @psquared007 "I sincerely hope at least one or two other companies do produce a competitive product that pushes Apple to keep enhancing the iPad."

        Competition doesn't drive Apple; customers drive Apple! When Apple sells you a product, they hope they have created a customer for life; and they try to figure out how they can get you to let go of that product for something newer.
        Steve Webb
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

        @psquared007
        A very good and informative article indeed . It helps me a lot to enhance my knowledge, I really like the way the writer presented his views.
        <a href="http://www.3cpromotion.com">gadget personalizzati</a>. thanks!
        giacomo Al
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

      @banned from zdnet
      I realize this all sounds a bit "fanboi"'ish, but I also don't own an iPad (but I do have a iPhone and I love it!).
      It is kind of fun to see the iPad do well. I honestly don't see much use for it, but obviously some people do.
      Again, I think this is Apple putting together a solid and beautiful product that solves some real (although in this case I would say "niche") needs.
      Good on them.
      If you want to know why we're "fanbois" - let's see some innovation elsewhere!
      rossdav
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

        @rossdav@...
        It's understandable that some people don't have a use for an iPad or say it's rather expensive or it duplicates some device they already have. It's just that when people start saying that an iPad is useless for everyone or that something is going to fail because of this reason or that, it doesn't make sense at all. Consumers buy what they like and sometimes it's unexplainable. Geeks do not possess the Holy Grail of marketing or average consumers' desires. I'd say that Apple has a far better understanding of what consumers find attractive or appealing. It appears they've figured out some formula that works relatively well.
        ConstableOdo
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

      @banned from zdnet
      Actually it wasn't obvious, at least to me, in january. I expected the iPad to have moderate success, around 5-6M sold. It sure looks as if that figure will be eclipsed by the end of 2010.
      After visiting an Apple store this month, it took me around 3 minutes to realize that I wanted one. I now have one and it meets around 95% of my computing needs at home. My GF and I actually see a future with only one computer at home and each of us having our own iPad.
      MG537-23482538203179240121698430309828
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

        @MG537 ditto here, I didn't think I would want one but then I played with it and got one of my own.....I love that I can put all my certification study materials on it and study on the go and at the gym when I'm on the cardio machines, I would not be able to do that with a laptop, and I don't have the annoying heat signature the laptop has when I'm using my IPad in bed. The future of computing has arrived and it is the IPad, laptops are outdated dinosaurs from the 1980's whose time has come to go extinct.
        itanalyst2010
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

    These analysts are crazy! Why raise the expectation so high? So that Apple stock can fall if they don't meet that demand!

    I hate how analysts can effect the outcome so easily by their crazy predictions. Yes, Apple is doing great! But the analysts can easily make it look like they aren't by their lofty estimates.
    The Danger is Microsoft
    Reply Vote

    • Your logic seems weak.

      @The Danger is Microsoft Let's consider. Apple sold the first million in what, 28 days? The second million at 59 days, only 25 days later and now, at only 21 days after that, a third million. Roughly speaking, that's a million every 3.5 weeks and accelerating. Ok, maybe things will start to slow down, but if we assume for the moment that it averages a million a month for the rest of the year, that's another 6 million, or a total of 9 million since it first hit the market. By no means is that a crazy prediction. It's not raising the expectation, it's accommodating measurable fact. On the other hand, if the sales numbers stabilized right now on the current average, that's over 7.6 million more by the end of the year, totally ignoring the upcoming school and holiday buying seasons.

      If I really wanted to stretch it, why not assume that the current rate of a million every three weeks is where it stabilizes--now it's 9 million more by the end of the year and a total of 12 million in only 9 months! Is this crazy expectation, or merely extending what we already know to be happening?

      I personally believe that Deusch Bank is making a very realistic projection.
      Vulpinemac
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

        I think Apple is selling them faster than they can make them. Delivery shows 7-10 days. Apparently the factories can now churn out a million iPads in 21 days.
        Partners in Grime
        Reply Vote

  • I am still not getting it

    Played with iPad in apple store for almost an hour and did not find anything really valuable about it. It looks good, but if you want to have more than one webpage open at a time it sucks. It is also too heavy to hold in one hand for more than 10 minutes and that glossy screen is just irritating. The only part that is great about it is scrolling and zooming. But I would never pay $500 for scroll&zoom.
    paul2011
    Reply Vote

    • Re: I am still not getting it

      @pauliusp
      Thats perfectly normal. All the people don't find value in all the products.

      I don't have an iPad. But I am surely going to buy one - the following are the reasons

      - While I am lying down in the bed or sitting on my sofa I want a light weight device to just browse the net casually, watch photos on the web, watch youtube, read article on Wikipedia etc.

      - While I am travelling I want to carry a light weight device to browse the net to look for information, read my emails etc.

      For doing the above mentioned work I do not mind spending 500$.
      mKind
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

        @mKind Congrats - keep funneling money into Apple's coffers for a mere toy.
        MSFTWorshipper
        Reply Vote

      • Is it just me or does MSFTWorshipper seem a bitter

        @mKind
        little man?

        Pagan jim
        James Quinn
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

        @MSFTWorshipper, a toy cannot be used for business; businesses are already using the iPad. Despite your bias, Apple is proving yet again that the old way of doing things is not necessarily the best.

        The world changes, MSFTWorshipper--if you don't change along with it, you get left behind.
        Vulpinemac
        Reply Vote

      • You'd be better with a Samsung Tape!

        @mKind Same chip as a iPhone4 and Galaxy S Phone with front facing camera and ability to 3G/WiFi video conference and stream directly to your HDTV with DLNA. Not only that, but you can also use it as your remote for Samsung HDTV's. It has the superior Super AMOLED screen (exclusive to Samsung mobile devices for 1 1/2 yrs). Coming to all four wireless providers and this screen has many times greater contrast than even iPhone4 Retina and much better visibility in direct sunlight less glare along with better touch sensitivity with the Touch Interface part of the screen layer. Only TWO layers meaning better responsiveness.

        Share your videos wirelessly with DLNA to your HDTV in Bedroom or Living Room. Use it as a whole house control and monitoring system with extra modules that are plug n play acting as a WiFi hotspot for your computers, etc. It'll even act as a DLNA control when your away from home with internet ready tv's, etc!!!

        And the chip will be clocked to 1.2gHz!!! ....remember iPhone chips is a Samsung and Intrinsity designed processor for Samsung FIRST... and the only things that are different is the instruction sets embedded in the metal of the chip, that's simply been renamed!!!
        i2fun@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

        @mKind
        Yeah, with a totally objective tag of "MSFTWorshipper", right? :)

        Calling the iPad a "mere toy" only reveals your level of ignorance with regards to it specifically, and consumer electronics in general. But you have fun with your M$ Kin, 'k? :)
        Chip Moody
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple: 3 million iPads in 80 days

        @mKind
        If I may add, me too don't mind spending $500 for this functionality because iPad does all this things way better than any smart phone and much better than notebooks or even netbooks (they are all so slooooow!).
        Maks_ZB
        Reply Vote
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