Shoppers began purchasing Apple Inc.'s third-generation iPad on Friday, as the expertise giant tries to widen its lead in the fast-growing tablet market.
The scene at lots of Apple stores resembled a rock concert, with huge crowds, barricades & Apple employees cheering customers as they bought the iPad. Those waiting included a combination of Apple devotees, first-time buyers & foreigners who could not wait for the product to arrive in their countries.
Apple stores in ten countries, including Japan, Spain & the U.S., were opening at 8 a.m. local time Friday--in some cases, hours before usual. Definite retailers like Best Buy Co., RadioShack Corp.
"It's new, it is lovely, at least I hope," said Mr. Bokelmann, who also travelled to the U.S. for the iPhone four.
In New York, a line of over 250 people stretched through an underground passage of Grand Central Terminal as they waited for the new Apple store there to open. In front was Goerg Bokelmann, 37, a firefighter from France who came to the U.S. for the week to specifically get the iPad.
Campo E. Osorio from Afghanistan went to Paris to buy the iPad because it is not available in his home country. "It's an fabulous product for my situation because in Afghanistan it lets me keep in contact with my relatives," Mr. Osorio said. He then opened a video link on his new iPad that allowed the reporter to speak to a mate of his in Afghanistan.
In London, 23-year-old student Cindy He waited with over 300 others outside the Apple Store in Covent Garden. "I'm here to help my mate get an iPad. He is not in the U.K., he is in China," Ms. He said.
This time, Apple is trying to hold on to its roughly 60% share of the tablet market with a product that is thought about a refinement of last year's iPad two, with a speedier graphics processor & voice dictation capabilities. Overall, Apple said it's sold over 55 million iPads as of December.
The anticipation for the latest iPad has built since it was announced last week by Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook at an event in San Francisco. The device is the first major product launch for Apple since the latest iPhone went on sale in October, & the company needs strong sales for each new device it sells to meet Wall Street's lofty expectations.
Outside Apple's Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan, about 250 people endured a rainy night & a misty, 40-degree morning. Then, after purchasing the iPad, buyers got swarmed by the awaiting media. Some held the box over their heads; others looked liked they desired to go home, a scene played out elsewhere, including Frankfurt, France.
Piper Jaffray forecasts Apple will sell over a million new iPads on Friday, up from around 300,000 when the original iPad went on sale in April 2010. Several financial analysts are predicting sales of multiple millions over the first weekend.
"I'm happy, but now I must return home, take a couple of hours of sleep, & then take a close look at my new toy," said 22-year-old Michael, who declined to give his surname. Michael, his girlfriend & about 350 others waited on the high-end shopping street in Frankfurt where the Apple store is located, although bystanders said the line was shorter than when the earlier iPad version was released.
Sales first got under way in Australia, where about 200 people stretched around the block outside Apple's flagship store in Sydney. Albert Chu, a 56-year-old bus driver from Sydney, bought two-64 gigabyte version for his daughter & a 16 gigabyte model for himself. "I will use it to trade stocks back in Hong Kong," said Mr. Chu.
In Tokyo, over 450 people stood in a line when the doors of the Apple store in the upscale Ginza neighborhood opened. Most had began to line up one time the early-morning commuter trains started jogging, according to 19-year-old college student Ryo Watanabe, who was first in line.
Mr. Watanabe had taken turns waiting in line for 37 hours along with his 20-year-old mate, Kento Inoue. Already an owner of the iPhone four, iPhone 4S & the iPad two, for which he had been around 14th in line to buy at its launch, Mr. Watanabe was determined to be first this time.
The iPad's new screen also attracted 11-year-old Xander Gansman, who sold his iPad two on eBay EBAY +2.34% to raise money for the new tool. The improved screen, faster cellular connection & voice recognition is "really all that I need," Gansman said at New York's Fifth Avenue store. The fifth grader is a budding developer working on games & building sites for friends & clients.
"The fact that the display has gotten better is a huge reason for me to get it," he said.
At lots of locations world-wide, coffee, cake & other refreshments were obtainable to those who waited. Some people went to the stores to soak in the atmosphere & not to buy anything. Brad Pizzimenti, a student from the U.S. studying in Paris, said, "It's an fascinating place to be. Apple has made a computer launch in to a rock concert."
The mood, though, was more subdued in Hong Kong & Singapore. In Hong Kong, Apple implemented an "iReserve" process that necessary customers to place reservations online. Demand overwhelmed the number of reservations obtainable Thursday, & only those with e mail confirmations were allowed to buy the tool Friday.
