If you’re still unsure that the iPad will be as successful as Apple’s other trendy gadgets, it may be time to rethink your assumptions. Apple is now selling more than 200,000 iPads every week, which means its outselling Apple’s Mac computers and nearing sales of the iPhone 3GS, according to analyst Mike Abramsky from RBC Capital Markets (via Digital Daily).
Abramsky wrote the following in a note to clients this morning:
Checks indicate that US iPad sales remain strong post-launch, driven by rising consumer visibility to iPad’s user experience, sustained PR/word-of-mouth marketing, 3G iPad launch, and broadening iPad apps/content. We believe Apple is now selling >200k iPads/week, greater than US Macs (est. 110k Macs/week) and just below US iPhone 3GS first quart (246k/week).
It’s also worth noting that the 110,000 Macs include both Apple’s desktop and laptop computers.
The iPad has sold out at many Apple and Best Buy stores, particularly the newer 3G-equipped version of the device. Given its strong sales, plus the upcoming international launch, Abramsky ended up raising his prediction for 2010 global iPad sales from 5 million to 8 million.
That’s a big leap, but it’s not entirely unexpected. Consumers have jumped on the iPad, despite many predictions towards the contrary after it was unveiled. Many technology writers (myself included) weren’t convinced that the iPad really had a shot — it seemed like an unnecessary addition to most user’s computing routines, and it was unclear what people would actually use it for. Now that we’re a few weeks off from its launch, it’s evident that people want it, and that gives me hope that future tablet offerings will find similar success down the line.
Digital Daily is also quick to point out that the iPad’s success isn’t necessarily cannibalizing Mac sales. A previous report by a Piper Jaffray analyst pointed out that despite the iPad’s strong sales in April, it didn’t have much effect on Mac sales — though it could be slightly cannibalizing iPod Touch sales.
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