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With the Apple iPad launch looming, and pre-sales already sold out for launch day, it’s clear that iPad fever is running rampant throughout the consumer tech world. But, just how that will translate into annual sales of the Apple tablet has yet to be seen. In the meanwhile, we’ll just have to make do with conjecture and “research notes” from the likes of Morgan Stanley. According to estimates from MS analyst Katy Huberty, Apple will ship somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-10 million iPads in 2010. Actual sales of the anticipated tablet are pinned at over six million units.
Despite current Wall Street estimates that have Apple moving four million iPads on the upper end of the spectrum, Huberty believes that Apple will beat expectations. “We continue to believe the market under-appreciates longer-term iPhone/iPad demand,” said Huberty. “Negative investor sentiment on the iPad centers on the lack of a ‘killer app’ or new technology.”
The demand for the iPad is what’s important here. Apple saw pre-sales burning through inventory so fast they they are no longer promising shipments of the device on launch day. The demand has been strong enough, apparently, to give iPad suppliers a reason to ramp up their production rates. That likely means Apple will ship more iPads than previously estimated for the 2010 year.
In the end, the early adopters are probably going to help push the iPad into demographics that may not be big targets for the tablet. Apple fans tend to do a lot of evangalizing and could help get the word out that the iPad is the hot new toy to get this year. Samsung Galaxy S and HTC EVO 4G notwithstanding.
So, is your iPad on pre-order yet?
[Via: AllThingsD]
About The Author
Will Park
Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...
