Have You Seen Me? Apple iPad 3G Goes MIA
According to several reports, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster and his team of Apple watchers queried 50 Apple retail stores this week and found what the firm is calling a "very limited" supply of iPads, a Fortune report noted.
The Apple store calls revealed that 74 percent of the stores -- 37 out of the 50 called -- were completely sold out of all Apple iPad models. Meanwhile, all 50 were sold out of 3G models and a mere 26 percent, or 13 stores, had only Wi-Fi models left in stock and available.
The Apple iPad shortage is spreading with just a week until the international iPad sales launch. Reports indicate that Munster said the supply won't catch up to the demand until at least mid- to late summer and even then an iPad dry-up could hurt Apple and investors.
"Given the international iPad launch on 5/28, and continued strong demand in the U.S., we expect supply constraints to last through the June quarter, reaching equilibrium in mid-to-late Sept. quarter," Munster wrote, according to Apple Insider.
Apple has begun offering a waiting list for customers to be notified when the 3G iPad returns, promising the store will hold it for 24 hours. Hints of a possible Apple iPad 3G shortage were evident when the 3G model launched April 30. One day of sales pushed Apple over the 1 million iPads sold mark in less than a month since the first models hit store shelves.
Munster said the short iPad supply could be an upside to his predicted 1.3 million iPads sold in Apple's quarter, but that the inability to meet demand could mean Wall Street projections are jumping the gun and exceeding what Apple can actually supply.