[limh5]

After reading reports in Barron's and WSJ, I have concluded that PlayBook sales were stronger than most news articles reported: Investing Blog: PlayBook Sales Stronger Than Reported

[UrbanGlowCam]

great article! lotsa great points brought up.

[boldman4]

In your article, you say: "For the iPad2, customers had to go to a select few Apple stores, making the lineups appear longer."

I've gotta take issue with that, since the iPad2 was actually available at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart on launch day, in addition to the Apple Stores. And yes, there were lines at Best Buy and Target, don't know about Walmart.

Now, Apple has added international sales as well. For RIM to reach 10% of the global tablet market, like you mention, they'll need to ramp up launches outside of North America fairly quickly.

[papped]

I think the issue is we don't really know how many they are trying to produce or sell. If they aren't aiming for anywhere near 5.5 million playbooks produced this year then obviously it's not going to happen.

It's all about their own expectations vs sales, not just the sales themselves.

[boldman4]

I think the issue is we don't really know how many they are trying to produce or sell. If they aren't aiming for anywhere near 5.5 million playbooks produced this year then obviously it's not going to happen.

It's all about their own expectations vs sales, not just the sales themselves.

I hope they're aiming for multimillions in sales just for the sake of the developers. I need more apps. I need Netflix. I need crackle and hulu. I need Flipboard and Pulse. For this to happen, I need millions of PBs out there to attract developers. I need these apps to run natively on the dual core processor.

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

I'm hoping to see 50 BILLION of these things sold by the Summer. That will DEFINITELY spark developer interest.

[boldman4]

I'm hoping to see 50 BILLION of these things sold by the Summer. That will DEFINITELY spark developer interest.

YES! An average of 9 per person on earth would definitely spark some interest. I love how you think!

[UrbanGlowCam]

I hope they're aiming for multimillions in sales just for the sake of the developers. I need more apps. I need Netflix. I need crackle and hulu. I need Flipboard and Pulse. For this to happen, I need millions of PBs out there to attract developers. I need these apps to run natively on the dual core processor.

Agreed. I'm definitely trying to participate in putting some flow in app world by downloading apps and giving reviews. Surprisingly, there are several good apps already that are showing a lot of potential for the PlayBook. I hope we hear more announcements in the next few weeks.

[limh5]

I think the issue is we don't really know how many they are trying to produce or sell. If they aren't aiming for anywhere near 5.5 million playbooks produced this year then obviously it's not going to happen.

It's all about their own expectations vs sales, not just the sales themselves.

RIM will produce whatever number of units people will buy. Companies produce a certain number of units. I've heard RIM is aiming for at least 3 million this year. If inventory gets low, they produce more. If inventory is high, they produce less. It's the same for all companies. They'll make whatever number people are willing to buy.

[Coffee Addict]

RIMM needs lot of things to do right, to be anywhere near Apple. First, have a solid product to be released without any software glitches and little niggles we got used to with blackberry. Second, much more polished presentation and PR and marketing to get masses interested. At the moment RIMM spreads itself too thinly.

However, I expect second gen playbook to do very well when all these issues are ironed out and all the software ready at the release.

[Mr One 2]

NO tablet will sell better than the ipad for quite some time. Who cares anyway. Get what ya want and be happy!!!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[K Bear]

There are bugs already with the Playbook. These things are just like RIM's smartphones, buggy as ****, but you can't do a battery pull on a Playbook. If RIM is serious about tabs, shaky WiFi, devices locking up while installing an OS update is just unacceptable. I swear if I hear about one more Playbook issue from my other half, I'm gonna scream. And no, the problems with the Playbook are not due to user error. My other half was a smartphone technical rep for quite a few years before before moving back to the sales side. It's hard to sell a device when the device is faulty.

[sleepngbear]

There are bugs already with the Playbook. These things are just like RIM's smartphones, buggy as ****, but you can't do a battery pull on a Playbook. If RIM is serious about tabs, shaky WiFi, devices locking up while installing an OS update is just unacceptable. I swear if I hear about one more Playbook issue from my other half, I'm gonna scream. And no, the problems with the Playbook are not due to user error. My other half was a smartphone technical rep for quite a few years before before moving back to the sales side. It's hard to sell a device when the device is faulty.

And my wife has issues with her iPhone, especially every time she gets a software update, and guess who ends up sorting it out. Do you see me running around screaming what a p.o.s. all iPhones are? One device is hardly representative of all of them. I've been on my PB pretty constantly since Tuesday, and the only issue I have is the bridge browser doesn't work worth a crap. Other than that it's been flawless and bug-free. Most user experiences have been the same, but you'd never know that if you spend all your time in this forum looking for what people are b!tching about.

Ditto for my Torch ... not one complaint in seven months. Now what were you saying about buggy-as-**** smartphones?

[Dre5025]

And my wife has issues with her iPhone, especially every time she gets a software update, and guess who ends up sorting it out. Do you see me running around screaming what a p.o.s. all iPhones are? One device is hardly representative of all of them. I've been on my PB pretty constantly since Tuesday, and the only issue I have is the bridge browser doesn't work worth a crap. Other than that it's been flawless and bug-free. Most user experiences have been the same, but you'd never know that if you spend all your time in this forum looking for what people are b!tching about.

Ditto for my Torch ... not one complaint in seven months. Now what were you saying about buggy-as-**** smartphones?

Just a suggestion, try turning off flash and maybe java script on the bridge browser. Also only go to the mobile sites for right now, any of your favorites bookmark them and when you're out on the go they should pull up fairly quickly. I did this and now I'm not complaining when on facebook or espn using the bridge browser.

[duckduke]

Nice article.....thanks!!

I have to agree....weeks of preorder, little/no promotionm, a multitude of retailers to order/purchase..... really good reasons to not see much in the way off lines (and huge benefit to those buying).

My local Best Buy unloaded all 32s and 64s on launch day. They still had a few 16s. As of Friday.

I look forward to the PB updates and continued progress over the coming weeks and months.

[sleepngbear]

Just a suggestion, try turning off flash and maybe java script on the bridge browser. Also only go to the mobile sites for right now, any of your favorites bookmark them and when you're out on the go they should pull up fairly quickly. I did this and now I'm not complaining when on facebook or espn using the bridge browser.

Thanks, but didn't help ... it loads up the first page, then loses its mind going anywhere else. Either clicking a link on the page or entering a new URL, the bridge browser just doesn't respond after the first page is loaded, whatever the first page I open happens to be.

Ok, now it's gotten even more bizarre ... clicking the login link on CB brings up a file save dialog.

Edit: I removed the PB from the Bridge on the phone and rebooted it, then went through a lengthy fight getting the PB reconnected. Now I'm getting a whole new bunch of errors. I guess that's progress...?!

[tkwolf]

so are 50k tablets sold on the first day something good or is it "lacking"?

[dooodads]

so are 50k tablets sold on the first day something good or is it "lacking"?

it's not that good if we're placing the playbook as an ipad competitor. If we're not then I guess it's OK. I'm guessing at this point RIM is hoping it finds a niche, at the least. But with that said, it's also a bit meaningless to analyze it, we'll have to know first month sales or something like that to fully be able to see what's going on.

[sleepngbear]

so are 50k tablets sold on the first day something good or is it "lacking"?

Obviously it's nowhere close to iPad 1st day sales, but nobody in their right mind expected that. But 50k on the first day did beat Xoom and Galaxy Tab, which I see as a good sign that the PB can be competitive among the 'others'. Quick software updates to add missing features and functionality plus on-boarding developers sooner rather than later will largely determine how well they can sustain it.

[tkwolf]

it's not that good if we're placing the playbook as an ipad competitor. If we're not then I guess it's OK. I'm guessing at this point RIM is hoping it finds a niche, at the least. But with that said, it's also a bit meaningless to analyze it, we'll have to know first month sales or something like that to fully be able to see what's going on.

I thought 50k was small but I know so little of these tablets aside from the iPad which sold way too much. I was not comparing it to the iPad though. I know that nothing can beat the iPad when it comes to sales as of the moment. I guess we'll have to wait til reports come in 1 month prior to the pb's realease

Obviously it's nowhere close to iPad 1st day sales, but nobody in their right mind expected that. But 50k on the first day did beat Xoom and Galaxy Tab, which I see as a good sign that the PB can be competitive among the 'others'. Quick software updates to add missing features and functionality plus on-boarding developers sooner rather than later will largely determine how well they can sustain it.

I have had the chance to try the galaxy tab last Feb i think and thought it was pretty decent. But i did not know that the galaxy tab sold less on its launch date. This sorta means good for the playbook (at least comparing it to samsung's tablet). Hopefully the playbook gets sale boosts in the coming months

[limh5]

I thought 50k was small but I know so little of these tablets aside from the iPad which sold way too much. I was not comparing it to the iPad though.

I have had the chance to try the galaxy tab last Feb i think and thought it was pretty decent. But i did not know that the galaxy tab sold less on its launch date. This sorta means good for the playbook (at least comparing it to samsung's tablet). Hopefully the playbook gets sale boosts in the coming months

Ya 50,000 on the first day is pretty good, since bullish estimates (from RBC for example) has RIM selling 500,000 in the current quarter (which ends around May 24). So RIM has about 30 days in the quarter to hit 500,000 units. If you use first day sales of 50,000, it means RIM could hit that in 10 days. But of course 1st day sales are higher because of the pre-order and pent-up demand. Anyways, I think RIM can do better than 500,000 in the current quarter, especially if they strengthen their marketing. 600,000 to 800,000 is possible.

In terms of comparing to GalaxyTab and Xoom, a major reason why the PlayBook is selling better is because of the price. Both of the GalaxyTab and Xoom were initially launched with 3G only, and were both more expensive than the iPad/iPad2.

[infamyx]

Ya 50,000 on the first day is pretty good, since bullish estimates (from RBC for example) has RIM selling 500,000 in the current quarter (which ends around May 24). So RIM has about 30 days in the quarter to hit 500,000 units. If you use first day sales of 50,000, it means RIM could hit that in 10 days. But of course 1st day sales are higher because of the pre-order and pent-up demand. Anyways, I think RIM can do better than 500,000 in the current quarter, especially if they strengthen their marketing. 600,000 to 800,000 is possible.

In terms of comparing to GalaxyTab and Xoom, a major reason why the PlayBook is selling better is because of the price. Both of the GalaxyTab and Xoom were initially launched with 3G only, and were both more expensive than the iPad/iPad2.

in all honesty unless RIM opens up beyond the North American market, i dont think they'll go beyond 200K this quarter. The Playbook has gotten bashed in reviews (deservedly so, you dont dump unfinished products on the market) and with too many features coming soon that should have been there day one, or broken, or not even supported by a major carrier i dont see this quarter being all too good for devices moved.

With so much heat coming from the iPad 2 which is priced exactly the same and in extreme demand, coupled with more Honeycomb tablets hitting the market ($399 10" eee pad anyone?) that are going to be cheaper and have a wealth of support behind it, RIM isnt going to have an easy time putting these devices in consumer hands.

[tkwolf]

Ya 50,000 on the first day is pretty good, since bullish estimates (from RBC for example) has RIM selling 500,000 in the current quarter (which ends around May 24). So RIM has about 30 days in the quarter to hit 500,000 units. If you use first day sales of 50,000, it means RIM could hit that in 10 days. But of course 1st day sales are higher because of the pre-order and pent-up demand. Anyways, I think RIM can do better than 500,000 in the current quarter, especially if they strengthen their marketing. 600,000 to 800,000 is possible.

In terms of comparing to GalaxyTab and Xoom, a major reason why the PlayBook is selling better is because of the price. Both of the GalaxyTab and Xoom were initially launched with 3G only, and were both more expensive than the iPad/iPad2.

I definitely hope RIM steps it up!

[limh5]

in all honesty unless RIM opens up beyond the North American market, i dont think they'll go beyond 200K this quarter. The Playbook has gotten bashed in reviews (deservedly so, you dont dump unfinished products on the market) and with too many features coming soon that should have been there day one, or broken, or not even supported by a major carrier i dont see this quarter being all too good for devices moved.

With so much heat coming from the iPad 2 which is priced exactly the same and in extreme demand, coupled with more Honeycomb tablets hitting the market ($399 10" eee pad anyone?) that are going to be cheaper and have a wealth of support behind it, RIM isnt going to have an easy time putting these devices in consumer hands.

I realize that some of the reviews have been bad. But remember that when the iPad was first announced, the reviews were horrible. They were definitely worst than the PlayBook reviews, with lots of people referencing sanitary napkins. In the end, the iPad still sold very well. You can only look into reviews so much. Also, many of the PlayBook reviews were contradictory and unfair, as Anton Wahlman says: RIM's Playbook Gets Contradictory, Unfair Reviews - TheStreet

As for the lower priced tablets, a lower price makes a big difference for consumers. However, it's by other brands that are simply inferior. I've tested out a friend's Huawei Android phone. While it is much cheaper, it's simply a piece of crap. So I don't think RIM needs to worry about crappy tablets sold at a lower price. RIM simply has to match the prices of Apple, Motorola, Samsung, etc.

[papped]

RIM will produce whatever number of units people will buy. Companies produce a certain number of units. I've heard RIM is aiming for at least 3 million this year. If inventory gets low, they produce more. If inventory is high, they produce less. It's the same for all companies. They'll make whatever number people are willing to buy.

That's fine, except that if you underproduce "what people are willing to buy" then you effectively cap sales...

Hence the whole point of expectations. Always manufacturing to meet demand after the fact = lost sales.