iLounge

Updated: Though multiple vendors on the show floor at San Francisco Macworld Expo told iLounge yesterday that Apple’s retail store in San Francisco had sold 20,000 iPod shuffle units in its first four hours of availability this week, it appears that the impressive number may just be the result of an Expo ‘telephone game.’ Other iLounge sources have subsequently reported that only 2,000 were sold at the store, a rate of roughly 8 shuffles per minute rather than the 80+ per minute required by the higher number. We apologize for the original report.

As iLounge notes in its upcoming review of the iPod shuffle, while some individuals purchased four, six, and nine of the 512MB, $99 units, the day’s record was apparently set by someone who purchased 24 at once. iPod shuffles are currently shipping to Apple retail stores.

Update 3: Reader David C. notes that Apple’s online store is already shipping 512MB iPod shuffle orders, with hardware leaving Ontario, California and “two-day shipping” delivery dates estimated at January 17. “This is well before the ‘1 week’ Apple.com was quoting,” says David, who is “VERY PLEASED!” However, reader Joe M. says that his 1GB iPod shuffle online order is listed with a 1/26 ship date.