Apple's Supply Chain to Work Through Chinese New Year Holiday Amid 'Insatiable Appetite' for iPad Mini in China
Brightwire summarizes a report [Google translation] from Taiwanese news site United Daily News claiming that Apple's supply chain partners will continue working through the traditional Chinese New Year holiday in order to keep up with demand for the popular iPad mini and iPhone 5. The holiday falls in mid-February in 2013, with many workers traditionally returning to their homes for two weeks or more in celebration.
The report comes as Apple continues to experience tight supplies of the iPad mini in particular, with the company's online stores around the world generally citing 1-2 week shipping estimates for new orders.
Demand for the iPad mini is also very strong in China, where the device launched on December 7, as highlighted in a new report from Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White. White cites "insatiable appetite" for the iPad mini in China and Hong Kong leading to stock shortages, with checks indicating that the iPad mini is more popular than the fourth-generation iPad.
Our research is pointing to very strong demand for the iPad mini in China and this is leading to stock-outs this week. Similar to Hong Kong, we are being told by contacts in China that the iPad mini is already more popular than the fourth generation iPad. Prior to the China launch, we indicated that the iPad mini would be the "next big thing in China" and we believe this phenomenon is starting to develop. In our view, the smaller form factor and lower price point will allow Apple to sell the iPad mini in more meaningful volumes versus the regular-size iPad.The report suggests that Apple is beginning to achieve some balance on the iPhone 5 in China, with walk-in purchases now starting to become more widely available two weeks after the device's debut. Evidence of the Apple catching up with iPhone 5 demand in the first waves of launch countries appeared earlier this month with the company's online stores shifting to immediate "in stock" availability of all models.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
21 weeks ago
What is happening to this world?
Among other good things, millions of Chinese workers have much better jobs (pay, benefits, hours, and conditions) than they've ever had opportunity to before. Wasn't that long ago millions per year died of starvation in forced marches and famine.
Ain't perfect, but sure heading in the right direction. Can't make the jump from groveling to luxurious overnight.
21 weeks ago
Completely understandable. I am using both and it's the best combo I've ever experienced.
Chinese people just start testing Apple drugs. They will be addict.
21 weeks ago
Although its not a big deal that many people have to work through their national holidays (like me sometimes!) it is pretty rubbish when you consider that 99% of these people are migrant workers who only get to see their families and possibly children ... Once a year.
21 weeks ago
Why is everyone missing the point here?
Give those workers a ****ing break. People can wait a week for their iPad minis.
Give those workers a ****ing break. People can wait a week for their iPad minis.
21 weeks ago
Working through the Chinese New Year is a big deal, it's one of the most important holidays in their culture. Imagine if this occurred in the U.S., and thousands of minimum wage workers were forced to work through Christmas and the New Year? Oh, wait, that's already been happening, if they're lucky to find employment.
What is happening to this world? The next time I need another device, I'll think twice about how and where it is made; this is for Apple and any electronics company that works with Foxconn. It starts with all of us, our dollars do make a difference.
What is happening to this world? The next time I need another device, I'll think twice about how and where it is made; this is for Apple and any electronics company that works with Foxconn. It starts with all of us, our dollars do make a difference.
21 weeks ago
Demand for the iPad mini is also very strong in China, where the device launched on December 7, as highlighted in a new report from Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White. White cites "insatiable appetite" for the iPad mini in China and Hong Kong leading to stock shortages, with checks indicating that the iPad mini is more popular than the fourth-generation iPad.
Factory work in third world countries kind of sucks, eh? And somehow, I doubt that many of those factory workers are contributing to the current "insatiable appetite" in China for iPad Minis.
21 weeks ago
Wonder what will happen to the mini/classic sales ratio when the iPad mini becomes retina... My guess is that the larger iPad will become the niche. Though, Apple might underpower the mini deliberately to maintain an edge for the 9.7".
Interesting times, especially if you bear in mind that Windows 8 sales are not really lifting off due to decreased PC sales (20% down year over year in the US). The post-PC era is real and Apple saw it coming way beyond the horizon. Now that's vision. *applause*
Interesting times, especially if you bear in mind that Windows 8 sales are not really lifting off due to decreased PC sales (20% down year over year in the US). The post-PC era is real and Apple saw it coming way beyond the horizon. Now that's vision. *applause*
[ Read All Comments ]
The Daily Show host Jon Stewart ran a satirical segment (via Apple 2.0) on last night's show about Apple CEO Tim Cook's appearance in front of a U.S. Senate Committee examining the tax...
Rovio's Angry Birds Space has been named Apple's App of the Week, and as a result, both the full iPhone and the iPad version of the game can be downloaded for free for the first time ever.
...
Evernote has added the ability to set reminders and alarms to its note-taking and organizational app, a popular new feature request the company says.
For the millions and millions of people around...
Shazam was one of the early App Store success stories, offering users the ability to easily identify music by capturing a snippet of the song and matching it against a database to provide title and...
Popular email app Mailbox, which launched for iPhone in early February with a reservation system that saw well over one million users sign up before the company eliminated reservations last month,...
As noted by The Verge, Microsoft has released a new Windows 8 tablet ad that uses Siri to highlight a few of the iPad's shortcomings, depicting the ASUS VivoTab Smart tablet as a robust...
Realmac's gesture-based list making iPhone app Clear has been updated to version 1.2.2, adding a feature that allows users to email their lists to other people. When viewing a list, Clear users...
In an event today at the CTIA conference, case maker OtterBox announced it was acquiring waterproof case maker LifeProof.
OtterBox will keep LifeProof's San Diego location and employees will...
