Apple iPad 2 Ship Time Shows Demand Being Matched

The world’s most popular tablet, the iPad, now in its second-generation hardware iteration, will now be shipping to consumers in 1-3 days. The reduction in ship time–down from 3-4 weeks when the tablet initially debuted to 1-2 weeks and then to 3-5 days as of a week ago–shows that Apple and its manufacturing and component partners are now able to keep pace with the tablet’s demands.

As Apple makes its international conquest for tablet domination, the iPad 2’s reduction in ship time may serve to help the company maintain its leading position. The device had captured as much as 66 percent of the tablet market share as of the end of the first quarter this year, and now if it can keep pace with demand by improving supply levels, the company can grow its lead.

The benefit about Apple having so much pent-up tablet demand is that unlike Android tablet-makers who are seeing their devices left on store shelves unsold, Apple sells every one of its tablet that are coming out from the production line right now.

Though Android tablet-makers have tried to capitalize on the iPad’s success–Steve Jobs said that the iPad 1 outsold Microsoft’s tablet PC in 9 months of sales compared to the latter’s decade-long sales history–the flurry of Android tablets that had debuted since the iPad’s launch have not been able to repeat Apple’s history as rival tablets aren’t as simple to use, are lacking in content, and are sometimes priced higher than the iPad.

Via: Electronista