As expected, a number of people are choosing to line up at Apple’s retail stores across the U.S. in preparation for the official launch of the iPad 2 at 5:00 p.m. local time this evening. iLounge reader Peter Cruz sent in the above shot from outside the Apple Store in Pasadena, CA, where roughly 70 people were in line. Two of iLounge’s editors report that a significant line has formed at the Walden Galleria Apple Store in Buffalo, NY; a round-up of line reports from 9 to 5 Mac reveals that lines in other parts of the country range from the high teens into the hundreds. Overall, it appears that line sizes at Apple retail stores will be roughly consistent with past product launches, not counting the smaller than anticipated lines for last month’s Verizon iPhone 4 launch.
Update: Our iLounge editor at the South Coast Plaza Apple Store reports that roughly 100 people were in line for the iPad 2 as of 11:25 a.m. PT, while our editors in New York note that employees were going through the line using MacBook Airs to sign up any customers who didn’t already have an Apple ID, so that they would be ready to use FaceTime and make purchases from the iTunes and App Stores. Umbrellas have been handed out to customers waiting outside in the sun, while coffee and Smart Water have also been offered to those waiting in line—typical of Apple product launches. Finally, employees at the Walden Galleria Apple Store have set up the store’s in-window iPad 2 promo, with what appear to be higher than real resolution renderings.
Update x2: At the South Coast Plaza Apple Store, employees are going through the line asking customers what models they are purchasing and how many, with a limit of two per person. Notably, other stores were handing out numbers to customers in line; anyone who was out of the line when the numbers were passed out was potentially skipped over.
6 comments
At the Best Buy in Madison, WI they came out at 4:30 and started with the first person in line and asked which model each person in line wanted. We were given a ticked allowing us to purchase one of that model. One iPad per customer. They had about 80 total. I managed to score the black 64 GB WiFi+3G Verizon version I wanted. Only about 10 people behind me got an iPad. At the Apple store in the Mall across the street, the woman who was first in line sold her place to some fool for $900. That will cover a nice chunk of her next semester at UW Madison.
I ordered mine Friday at about 7:30 am and got a ship date of 4/1… Just as a piece of personal research, I went yesterday to 2 Wal-Marts. 2-Targets. 1 Best-Buy, 1 AT&T store and finally to the Apple store here in SOUTH Southern Orange county (CA).. between noon and 1:30 pm pacific time… NOTHING…ALL GONE…NADA… And some VERY irritated folks everywhere…
I understand being irritated at not getting the iPad – I know how excited I was for the first one.
But people, it’s a luxury, and you’ll get it in time.
Just think of the poor people in Japan if you want some perspective on disappointment…
I would never waste my time like these people. I got my iPad on the 2nd day simply by checking the status of Bestbuy and sure enough there was 2 BB stores nearby with the iPad. I drove down and waited 10mins to select one and the BB staff forced me to buy an accessory. No biggie.
Total time spent 15mins.
Despite its many, many, MANY faults, at Best Buy today I bought exactly the iPad 2 I wanted: black, 64GB, AT&T 3G. The Best Buy web site allows you to view the inventory of its brick’n’mortar stores. To my surprise, my local store, which this morning indicated no iPad 2’s available, later showed them in stock! I now have one in my hands, and spent no more money than I would have anywhere else.
i ordered my ipad friday morning online and got a ship date between the 18th and the 25th. on friday i was out eating and told my friend we should got to sam’s club, they didnt have any but he said to check next door at wal mart. they had 4 ipads left 2 white 64 gig and 2 black 64 gig no 3g’s so i cancelled my online order and picked up the black 64