Overall iPod sales surge, iPod photo demand mediocre

Sales of Apple's flagship iPods are booming in recent weeks, though sources claim the company's recently introduced iPod photo is not such a hot ticket.

According to a recent analysis of shipping data conducted by sources close to AppleInsider, Apple Computer's 20GB and 40GB iPod digital music players have been met with increasing demand in recent weeks.

Of the two offerings, the 20GB player appears to be the most sought after model, with backorders to the company's reseller and distribution channels listing wait times of up to 3 weeks.

On the other hand, the recently introduced 40GB and 60GB iPod photo models appear to be in ample supply, indicating a lesser demand for the higher priced players. Both models are available to ship to all channels within a 24-hour time period.

Data also reveals that iPod mini players are on the verge of scarcity, though Apple appears to have anticipated heightened demand for the blue-colored players. Shipping data indicates slightly better availability of the blue model when compared to the other minis, specifically when customers place orders directly from the company.

Other Apple products in strong demand this holiday buying season include the iMac G5, specifically the 17-inch 1.8GHz model, which is carrying a minimum 1-3 day waiting period, even on direct orders.

An article published in today's edition of The Wall Street Journal also notes that iPods are becoming scarce at retailers around the country. The report says that Amazon.com, Buy.com, and other online retailers are now out of stock and "Apple is contending with what appears to be an immense demand for the gadget."

According to AppleInsider sources, Apple is on pace to sell around 4 million iPods during its holiday fiscal quarter.

61 Comments

kenaustus 909 comments · 21 Years

About 19 years ago

There is a strong relationship between price and demand - that's going to slow down the iPod Photo for a while. The good news is that it also indicates that an iPod Flash is going to blow out the door big time - even by iPod standards.

slughead 1124 comments · 20 Years

People spend $300+ on XD memory for digital cameras.

If Apple were to do the thing that I suggested (and was jeered by the fanboys for *cough*) and put in/make a card reader for the iPod photo that automatically downloads to a library and erases the card, I'm sure they'd sell a lot more.

Think about it: you buy a 128mb XD chip for your camera, and for the price of two 512mb chips you can get 60GB of storage with a preview screen and mp3 player built in!

maybe a zoom/delete feature..

if I were a photographer, I'd get one in a second

messiah 1375 comments · 21 Years

Quote:

Originally posted by slughead
People spend $300+ on XD memory for digital cameras.

If Apple were to do the thing that I suggested (and was jeered by the fanboys for *cough*) and put in/make a card reader for the iPod photo that automatically downloads to a library and erases the card, I'm sure they'd sell a lot more.

Think about it: you buy a 128mb XD chip for your camera, and for the price of two 512mb chips you can get 60GB of storage with a preview screen and mp3 player built in!

maybe a zoom/delete feature..

if I were a photographer, I'd get one in a second

That's a good idea.

nagromme 2831 comments · 22 Years

That's a good idea, and one I hope you've requested at apple.com/feedback.

But that's not the purpose of the iPod Photo. It's a good idea for a NEW purpose. The iPod Photo is for displaying your library--the modern equivalent of the shoebox or album, which has broad consumer appeal. It's not a photographer's companion or a camera accessory, which would have narrower appeal. But you're right, it COULD be, and it could be done better than Belkin's device does it. It would then serve a new market, which clearly exists.

(Happily, I'm in the Photo's intended market, and bought it for displaying photos. Getting photos off my camera has never been an issue for me--my flash card 200+ photos, far more than I need for the time I spend away from my computer.)

As for the iPod Photo being "not such a hot item"... talk about the glass half empty

So now, when Apple CAN meet demand, we call that a sign of an unsuccessful product? Because being able to meet demand is all the bad news you'll find in this article.