Apple Claims It Has Sold 170 Million iPads, But Analysts Doubt 15M Figure for Q3

Apple claims to have shipped a total of 170 million units of iPad to date, implying it shipped about 15 million tablets in Q3. However, like the Cupertino-based tech giant's previous claim of selling 9 million units of the newly launched iPhone 5S and 5C on the first three days it appeared in stores, there are doubters.

The belief of many Wall Street analysts is that Apple actually shipped 15 million iPads during the last three months, but these tablets were the ones delivered to stores, not necessarily in the hands of consumers.

Among the analysts who made that conclusion and gave lower estimates of shipment for the three-month period is Maynard Um of Wells Fargo securities who believes the more accurate number is 14.6 million units shipped, not 14.9 million

Timothy Acun of Cowen and Company had the same 14.9 million forecast, while Amit Daryanam of RBC Capital Markets places it at 14.8 million and Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray reckons it at 14 million.

The curious will find more details when Apple publishes on Monday Oct 28, after the markets close, its Q3 report.

While analysts doubt, consumers were bored at the recent roll out of the iPad Air and iPad Mini, wrote Nick Bilton, a blogger at the New York Times. He based his comment on posts on Facebook, Google Plus and Tumblr.

He clarified that what is boring is not so much the new Apple devices, but the dated style of presentations.

Mr Bilton cited the standard Apple presentation as starting with CEO Tim Cook cooking out on stage in jeans and untucked black shirt babbling about some statistics, followed by some jokes.

He is followed by Apple Marketing Head Philip Schiller who discusses new hardware. Mr Cook introduces a new device which Mr Schiller again explains, followed by a video of Apple's Jony Ive saying in a British accent it is the best gadget they've ever produced.

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Mr Bilton pointed out that while these presentations get media attention for the new Apple products, the format was designed for deceased CEO Steven Jobs who had a stronger stage presence than Messrs Cook and Schiller.

Here's is the iPhone 5 launch for comparison purposes.

YouTube/vineethLJ