Our take on Apple’s new wireless AirPods may be that they “just work,” but one thing that isn’t quite so seamless is picking up a pair in person at your local Apple store.
That’s according to airpods.isinstock.com, a website dedicated to providing at-a-glance stock levels for Apple’s AirPods at every Apple retail store in the world. The current grand total of stores stocking the AirPods? A big fat zero.
Apple announced its AirPods at September’s iPhone event, promising the AirPods would ship the following month. However, for the first time in ages, Apple was forced to push back a product rollout for reasons the Wall Street Journal blamed on audio glitches.
The AirPods ultimately started shipping via Apple’s online store and in retail outlets just prior to Christmas. However, high demand caused delivery dates for online orders to get pushed back immediately to after Christmas, much to the disappointment of people hoping to pick them up as gifts.
There’s currently no word on when new stock will be available, and phoning our local Apple store didn’t shed too much light on the problem.
While short supply of a popular device is certainly better than oversupply of a device nobody wants, it’s difficult to remember Apple botching a launch quite this badly. Certainly the popularity of Apple products over the holiday season means the company can afford to give up accessory sales in a way that other smaller companies may not be able to.
With that said, if there’s ever a time to make sure your most exciting innovation of the year is available to buy, this is it — and Apple dropped the ball.
Have you managed to get hold of a pair of AirPods yet? Leave your comments below.
Source: airpods.isinstock.com
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
10 responses to “Every Apple store worldwide is sold out of AirPods”
The scalpers seem to have cornered an adequate stock. Just look at eBay or Craig’s List!
I ordered mine the day they came available. So far, I’m loving every minute of using them.
Ordered mine the moment they were announced and got them the next week. I LOVE them more than I thought I would. Went for a jog the other day wearing them and they stayed in perfectly (it was a cold day so I wasn’t worried about sweating). They sound better than the EarPods and the connection is so seamless it really is “like magic”.
This was one of the worst-planned product releases I can think of in recent Apple history. They already knew about product availability issues, yet they chose to release in a holiday season where demand would be even higher. Nothing but frustration! I would have rather seen them wait.
I ordered mine as soon as they announced as well and my arrival date of the 26th actually showed up on the 23rd so that was nice. I am getting more use out of them than I was originally anticipating. They DO sit well in the ear and much better than the wired versions. Without wires, the center of gravity for these things (which weigh close to nothing) is INSIDE the ear, not dragging on a cord around your neck. I bought a 3rd party cord for when I am out on my bike but for walking and general activities, they are solid, even laying down in bed.
If you order them, the retailers seem to be getting them in fast. I kind of just put in a spur of the moment order in middle of last week from Best Buy with an arrival of ‘by 2/12’. Yesterday I got a message that they shipped and arrive tomorrow. I was shocked.
oh god almighty !
I ordered mine later in the day when they were announced and got a 1/12 ship date. The day they came out in the stores, I got to my local Apple store 30 minutes ahead of open and there was only myself and another person. We sat on the bench outside the store and others showed up after us and got in line. Just when the doors open someone not in line bum-rushes the door and gets in first and buys two pairs (the limit) of the 8 pairs available. I got a set and have been using them daily and they are great. I still have my 1/12 order in and may look at a second pair for a family member.
I was at the Apple Store in Santa Barbara last week, but no Airpods in stock. Got back and because of a huge layover in Amsterdam, I happend to visit the AppleStore over there, and they did have them in stock, but just the last 4 of them. Happy to got them before year end ;-) Love them! The ease of use and connecting them with all my Apple devices is amazing! Well done Apple on this one. I took them today to office, just in my pocket :-)
I just received mine yesterday. And I have to say the hype is definitely true. Can’t believe how easy it was to connect and then all my devices had them installed already. I keep taking one of the pods out of my ear just to see the video or the music I’m listening to pause automatcially and startup when I put it back in. Definitely a great product. Love it!!