European resellers are seeing short iPad supplies, perhaps pointing to the iPad 2 refresh coming very soon. Additionally, some European carriers are lowering their subsidized prices for the iPad, further fueling speculation about an incoming iPad 2. The reports appeared first on Monday, Feb. 21.
First, 9 to Mac reported that a number of retailers are seeing shortages.
- Carphone Warehouse in the U.K., an official reseller, is sold out of alliPad 3G versions, as well as being sold out of the 64 GB wi-fi only iPad.
- Major European product distributor Ingram Micro is sold out of the 16GB and 64GB wi-fi only models, as well as the 64GB 3G model. They are also in very short supply in terms of the 32GB wi-fi only, 16GB 3G, and 32GB 3G models.
- Some locations of Future Shop in Canada are sold out of various models.
Also noted were some price drops on European carriers. TechRadar noted that both Orange and T-Mobile in Europe have cut their iPad 3G subsidized pricing in half, with both carriers now selling the iPad 3G for £99 with a two-year service agreement. Previously, Orange was charging existing customers £199.99 with a £25-per-month two-year contract, and new customers £229.99 with a £27-per-month two-year contract. T-Mobile's new pricing applies to existing customers with a two-year, £25-per-month contract.
Previously, Orange was offering the iPad WiFi + 3G at £199.99 upfront on a £25 per month contract to existing customers and at £229.99 for new customers on a £27 per month contract - so the new pricing offers a saving of at least £100 on each.
Price cuts this deep usually occur when carriers (unlike the rest of us) get the word that a refresh of an product is coming. In addition, earlier we saw reports of AT&T clearing out iPad accessories.
The iPad was first introduced in April of 2010. It's due for its annual iPad 2 refresh (typical of Apple) in that month, but it's also been rumored that with a wave of tablet rivals coming, Apple is preparing to launch the iPad 2 earlier.
No comments:
Post a Comment