Launch-Day iPad Air Stocks Begin to Weaken, High-Capacity Models Most Affected

With the iPad Air now having launched in over 40 countries today, supplies of the device are starting to weaken in some of Apple's online and retail stores. The most significant signs of tightening supplies are appearing in higher-capacity models in some countries, specifically 128 GB and 64 GB cellular models and 128 Wi-Fi models. In a number of countries these models are now listed as shipping in 5-10 business days.

Apple's U.S. online store continues to list delivery dates of November 4 for new orders of all models, while those looking to use Personal Pickup to order their devices online and pick them up today at a nearby U.S. Apple retail store will find that supplies are beginning to dry up with increasing combinations of models and stores now listed as "Ships to store" rather than "Available today".

ipad_air_nyc_pickup
In countries other than the U.S., Apple's online stores list shipping estimates rather than delivery estimates, and the following combinations of models and countries have seen estimates slipping to 5-10 business days:

- Australia: Cellular 128 GB in space gray

- Austria: Wi-Fi and Cellular 128 GB in both space gray and silver

- Belgium: Wi-Fi 128 GB in space gray

- China: Wi-Fi 16 and 128 GB in space gray, all Wi-Fi models in silver (Cellular models not available yet)

- Czech Republic: Cellular 64 GB and 128 GB models in both space gray and silver, Cellular 32 GB and Wi-Fi 128 GB in silver

- Denmark: Cellular 128 GB in space gray

- Finland: Cellular 128 GB in both space gray and silver

- France: Cellular 128 GB in space gray

- Germany: Wi-Fi and Cellular 128 GB in both space gray and silver

- Hong Kong: All models quickly became unavailable for shipping

- Hungary: Cellular 64 GB and 128 GB models in both space gray and silver, Cellular 32 GB in silver

- Ireland: Cellular 128 GB in both space gray and silver

- Netherlands: Cellular 128 GB in space gray

- Norway: Cellular 128 GB in space gray

- Poland: Wi-Fi and Cellular 128 GB in both space gray and silver

- Portugal: Cellular 128 GB in both space gray and silver, Wi-Fi 128 GB in space gray

- Singapore: Cellular 128 GB in space gray

- Sweden: Cellular 128 GB in both space gray and silver

- Switzerland: Cellular 128 GB in both space gray and silver, Wi-Fi 128 GB in space gray

- UK: Cellular 128 GB in both space gray and silver

Update: U.S. users interested in checking availability of Personal Pickup for various models may want to take advantage of Apple-Tracker.com for a much more efficient method than going through Apple's online store manually for each model.

T-Mobile 128GB iPad Air
Update 2: The Space Gray 128GB iPad Air w/cellular on T-Mobile is the first model to see its shipping time slip on the U.S. store. It is now available to ship in 5-10 business days.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Don't Buy)
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Top Rated Comments

160 months ago
I believe Microsoft are looking to experience 'weakened stock levels' with the Surface 2 but the only way to truly achieve that would be to only manufacture one. And then demo it.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
olowott Avatar
160 months ago
this should tell apple something
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
160 months ago
Geez, at the price of the 128gb iPad, you might as well buy a Macbook Air :eek:

Yeah... but I already have a MBA.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citi Avatar
160 months ago
Geez, at the price of the 128gb iPad, you might as well buy a Macbook Air :eek:
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citi Avatar
160 months ago
These new iPads truly are revolutionary. How can it be possible to pack so much cutting-edge technology into such a slim, light, gorgeous device? Only Apple can do this. And that's why iPad Air is already selling out around the world in just a few hours.

Do you work for Apple? This sounds like a PR sound bite.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chupa Chupa Avatar
160 months ago
i don't know why people buy high capacity ipads.... What do they fill it up with? And these things are meant to be upgraded every 2 years or so since apple gimp their old hardware every few os release.

16gb for me!

OK, I'll bite...

1) People fill up their iPads with whatever they need to make it a useful & enjoyable device for them. Congrats, all you need is 16GB. Some people like to load up videos (esp for the kids), or keep photos on it as a digital photo book, music, magazines, books, apps (100-200mb apps are not uncommon these days).

2) What does the position that iPads are meant to be upgraded every 2 years have to do with what storage size one buys today? I don't see the connection there especially since Apple has kept the storage size and price points the same since the original iPad.

3) Your suggestion that Apple's gimps old hardware makes zero sense. The iPad 2 that you could buy today is the exact same one available two years ago. Apple didn't lessen RAM or change out the processor. Now, Apple does build new OSes to compliment the newest hardware, yes, but that is how you make technological progress rather than designing for the least common denominator.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)