GristyMcFisty and Quakester2000 both used our news submit to let us know that Apple will be delaying the launch of its global iPod mini. When Apple first announced its launch date of its mini iPod series, they aimed to compete with the solid state and micro-disk digital audio player market by offering a small lightweight player with ample storage of 4GB. They have done much better than expected with shops selling out immediately after the US launch of its mini iPod series back on 20th of February. They have even reached their end-of-June sales target.
With such a large number of pre-orders, Apple decided to delay its European and Asian launch until July; three months after the original April launch announcement. They expect to increase their manufacturing rate in July in an aim to cover the overseas demand.
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The delay comes just days after the company admitted its dual-processor Xserve G5 server will not ship until April - two months later than planned. Apple blamed the iPod Mini set-back on the high level of demand for the product it has experienced in the US. All five versions of the multi-coloured iPod Mini went on sale at 6:00pm Pacific Time on 20 February. We have received numerous reports of iPod Minis arriving in stores and selling out almost immediately. US customers have been so keen to get their hands on the 102g, 9 x 5 x 1.3cm player that Apple has already reached its end-of-June sales target. It hopes to ramp up its manufacturing in the July quarter, the company said, enabling it to begin selling the product overseas. Unlike the iPod, the iPod Mini trades storage capacity for size, offering just 4GB of hard disk space. It's only $ 50 cheaper than the 15GB iPod, but unlike the slightly more expensive version is pitched against solid state digital music players which offer a much higher cost-per-megabyte ratio. The iPod Mini works out at six cents per megabyte - solid state players, though cheaper, typically come to over 60 cents per megabyte. |
While Apple's iPod range does lack some useful features of other solid state players, they have done a really good job in selling its mini iPod series just like how well they done with the regular iPod series. It looks like many are going for the iPod and mini-iPod mainly due to its cool look and iTunes compatibility and do not appear to mind the lack of recording capabilities, FM Radio support or user-changeable batteries.
Feel free to discuss and read more about the iPod series and other digital audio players on our Audio Forum.
Source: The Register
