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All iPads iPad 9 availability 101

stinkhorn9

stinkhorn9

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 29, 2020
287
199
I think I might be doing this wrong! I'm in the UK, looking to buy (like, I presume, everyone else - but just no one on these forums) a new iPad 9. The shipping date range keeps getting put back (to well over a month from whenever I look): so - I've been holding off, thinking that once stock levels have saturated the domestic warehouses, I can just order one and get it that week - job done.

But I think this model was released in September (?) - and perhaps it's not a question of waiting for enough stock to land in the UK to fulfil everyone's orders (therefore I can avoid a month's anticipation by ordering and getting a fast turnaround). Maybe the iPads have been consistently flowing into the UK for a while - and I just need to bit the bullet, jump on the ordering bandwagon and join the queue - or I'll simply never get hold of one...

How does this work? Is it anything like the above?
 
Also keep in mind the longer you wait, you are not getting the value of depreciation either.
 
Another thing to keep in mind is that the price of the iPad 9 isn't likely to go down anytime soon (at least, this is the case in the Netherlands). So it doesn't pay to wait either.
Last year I hoped for some good deal on the 2020 model a few months after its release, but since then I realized that you better buy it on launch day; the 2020 model was also hard to come by. When the iPad 9 appeared I bought it immediately. And now here in NL the base model is out of stock everywhere too.
What you could consider is buying the 128GB 2020 model instead. It's not that different from the 2021 model. But be prepared to basically pay the same amount of money as you would have paid a year ago.
 
stinkhorn9 said:
I think I might be doing this wrong! I'm in the UK, looking to buy (like, I presume, everyone else - but just no one on these forums) a new iPad 9. The shipping date range keeps getting put back (to well over a month from whenever I look): so - I've been holding off, thinking that once stock levels have saturated the domestic warehouses, I can just order one and get it that week - job done.

But I think this model was released in September (?) - and perhaps it's not a question of waiting for enough stock to land in the UK to fulfil everyone's orders (therefore I can avoid a month's anticipation by ordering and getting a fast turnaround). Maybe the iPads have been consistently flowing into the UK for a while - and I just need to bit the bullet, jump on the ordering bandwagon and join the queue - or I'll simply never get hold of one...

How does this work? Is it anything like the above?
Click to expand...

Consistent flow. Think for every batch, x% goes to Apple online orders, y% goes to Apple retail stores and z% goes to authorized retailers.

With that said, in the US, it's possible to check local in-store stock and order for same day pickup. Dunno if a similar program exists in the UK but it's worth checking out if you want one asap.
 
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Thanks for your replies everyone - I’m going to order this evening. I just don’t really like ordering stuff that’s technically ‘out of stock’ - but we’re clearly not going to get to a point anytime soon that it’s *in* stock in abundance! Will check store pick up availability too, for a chuckle ?
 
Some small online retailers that ship to the UK have had it in stock, you have to go and look. There are long wait times with Apple UK and some of the bigger retailer names. I suspect a lot of iPad 9s have been sown up by orders from the UK education market.
 
I’m in the UK too and have been surprised by how hard it is to get an iPad 9 - I wasn’t surprised that the Air 4 and Mini 6 were the same at the time of their release given that they were new form factors for their respective lines. Store pickup is likely to bag you one sooner - I got my Mini 6 the weekend after launch, but it had been in stock at my local store for most of that week. It does depend on the model though - at my local store they currently have every cellular version of the iPad 9 in stock, but every WiFi model is unavailable.

Maybe it’s down to the chip shortage and COVID, with the 64GB perhaps creating a perfect storm - those managing storage on their 32GB models now get extra storage without having to pay more than a £100 premium for it, and upgrade when they otherwise may have waited until that time came.

You can indeed pay online for in store pickup in the UK, so if you do that there will definitely be an iPad left for you when you get to the store. In what is I assume a COVID measure, you can’t get an iPad without a reservation but if you walk in and the model you want is available, they will reserve one for you (they ask for photo ID but the lady did tell me there was another way if I didn’t have any, though I had my driving licence with me so I don’t know what the other way was.) Not sure why there’s a need for ID to make a reservation that you don’t pay for until someone brings the iPad out when you go back to collect it, but just to give you a heads up.
 
*~Kim~* said:
I’m in the UK too and have been surprised by how hard it is to get an iPad 9 - I wasn’t surprised that the Air 4 and Mini 6 were the same at the time of their release given that they were new form factors for their respective lines. Store pickup is likely to bag you one sooner - I got my Mini 6 the weekend after launch, but it had been in stock at my local store for most of that week. It does depend on the model though - at my local store they currently have every cellular version of the iPad 9 in stock, but every WiFi model is unavailable.

Maybe it’s down to the chip shortage and COVID, with the 64GB perhaps creating a perfect storm - those managing storage on their 32GB models now get extra storage without having to pay more than a £100 premium for it, and upgrade when they otherwise may have waited until that time came.

You can indeed pay online for in store pickup in the UK, so if you do that there will definitely be an iPad left for you when you get to the store. In what is I assume a COVID measure, you can’t get an iPad without a reservation but if you walk in and the model you want is available, they will reserve one for you (they ask for photo ID but the lady did tell me there was another way if I didn’t have any, though I had my driving licence with me so I don’t know what the other way was.) Not sure why there’s a need for ID to make a reservation that you don’t pay for until someone brings the iPad out when you go back to collect it, but just to give you a heads up.
Click to expand...
Wow - thank you for all that *~Kim~* ?
 
If you have an Apple store nearby, they get regular shipments of iPads in-store. One or twice a week. But they sell out fast. I experienced the same issues with the Mini 6. If you check regularly, you can luck into one. Though you might have to be flexible with the color. The space gray seems to be the most popular color and is harder to get.
 
*~Kim~* said:
I’m in the UK too and have been surprised by how hard it is to get an iPad 9 - I wasn’t surprised that the Air 4 and Mini 6 were the same at the time of their release given that they were new form factors for their respective lines. Store pickup is likely to bag you one sooner - I got my Mini 6 the weekend after launch, but it had been in stock at my local store for most of that week. It does depend on the model though - at my local store they currently have every cellular version of the iPad 9 in stock, but every WiFi model is unavailable.

Maybe it’s down to the chip shortage and COVID, with the 64GB perhaps creating a perfect storm - those managing storage on their 32GB models now get extra storage without having to pay more than a £100 premium for it, and upgrade when they otherwise may have waited until that time came.

You can indeed pay online for in store pickup in the UK, so if you do that there will definitely be an iPad left for you when you get to the store. In what is I assume a COVID measure, you can’t get an iPad without a reservation but if you walk in and the model you want is available, they will reserve one for you (they ask for photo ID but the lady did tell me there was another way if I didn’t have any, though I had my driving licence with me so I don’t know what the other way was.) Not sure why there’s a need for ID to make a reservation that you don’t pay for until someone brings the iPad out when you go back to collect it, but just to give you a heads up.
Click to expand...

The regular iPad is Apple's biggest iPad seller making up over 50% of iPad sales.

Changes in form factor might appeal to the enthusiast but the basic iPad is the one to get for the masses. Also, it's the holiday season already and the iPad makes for a pretty desirable gift.

Mind, ever since COVID hit, various configurations of the 8th gen were frequently out of stock at Amazon and Best Buy in the US, and we didn't really get any good discounts for those unlike with the previous 6th and 7th gen.


Rafterman said:
If you have an Apple store nearby, they get regular shipments of iPads in-store. One or twice a week. But they sell out fast. I experienced the same issues with the Mini 6. If you check regularly, you can luck into one. Though you might have to be flexible with the color. The space gray seems to be the most popular color and is harder to get.
Click to expand...

All I want is black bezels so with the 9th gen, I wouldn't really care which chassis color I get. They're both pretty neutral anyway. :D
 
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rui no onna said:
The regular iPad is Apple's biggest iPad seller making up over 50% of iPad sales.

Changes in form factor might appeal to the enthusiast but the basic iPad is the one to get for the masses. Also, it's the holiday season already and the iPad makes for a pretty desirable gift.

Mind, ever since COVID hit, various configurations of the 8th gen were frequently out of stock at Amazon and Best Buy in the US, and we didn't really get any good discounts for those unlike with the previous 6th and 7th gen.




All I want is black bezels so with the 9th gen, I wouldn't really care which chassis color I get. They're both pretty neutral anyway. :D
Click to expand...

i didn't think any iPads even had a white bezel anymore.
 
rui no onna said:
The regular iPad is Apple's biggest iPad seller making up over 50% of iPad sales.

Changes in form factor might appeal to the enthusiast but the basic iPad is the one to get for the masses. Also, it's the holiday season already and the iPad makes for a pretty desirable gift.

Mind, ever since COVID hit, various configurations of the 8th gen were frequently out of stock at Amazon and Best Buy in the US, and we didn't really get any good discounts for those unlike with the previous 6th and 7th gen.




All I want is black bezels so with the 9th gen, I wouldn't really care which chassis color I get. They're both pretty neutral anyway. :D
Click to expand...

True, although with it being the best seller they probably manufacture more of them than the other models to match the demand.
 
rui no onna said:
The iPad 8th gen and mini 5 still had white bezels for Silver and Gold. It's only recently when Apple moved their entire iPad line-up to black bezels.
Click to expand...

For me, I don't obsess about the color as much any more. For me, first choice is always space gray, but starlight (it's silver, Apple. Just call it silver) is an acceptable option if space gray is backordered. I used to always get gray for the Apple watch, but I switched to a SS gold. With a black band and black watch face, the subtle gold acts as a nice accent color to the black parts.
 
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Well, after two frustrating non-transactions with a local store that supposedly had one for collection next week (it didn’t really), I’ve pacified my burgeoning temper by ordering from Apple and growing some necessary patience. Thanks folks ?
 
stinkhorn9 said:
I think I might be doing this wrong! I'm in the UK, looking to buy (like, I presume, everyone else - but just no one on these forums) a new iPad 9. The shipping date range keeps getting put back (to well over a month from whenever I look): so - I've been holding off, thinking that once stock levels have saturated the domestic warehouses, I can just order one and get it that week - job done.

But I think this model was released in September (?) - and perhaps it's not a question of waiting for enough stock to land in the UK to fulfil everyone's orders (therefore I can avoid a month's anticipation by ordering and getting a fast turnaround). Maybe the iPads have been consistently flowing into the UK for a while - and I just need to bit the bullet, jump on the ordering bandwagon and join the queue - or I'll simply never get hold of one...

How does this work? Is it anything like the above?
Click to expand...
Amazon Uk seem to have lots of the 256GB Wi-Fi versions in stock of the Ipad 9th gen ;)

Seems to be only the 64GB version they no have
 
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I managed to find it in stock on Amazon UK the week after launch and got it there. I know a friend of mine managed to get one from the Apple Store at Trafford Centre last Saturday, they just checked stock on the morning and saw they had some in, luck of the draw on the day.
 
Poppleropples said:
I managed to find it in stock on Amazon UK the week after launch and got it there. I know a friend of mine managed to get one from the Apple Store at Trafford Centre last Saturday, they just checked stock on the morning and saw they had some in, luck of the draw on the day.
Click to expand...
Yeah I think Apple stores would be your best chance..early morning luck of the draW indeed
 
I'd try some of the other retailers.

For example, John Lewis are showing a few in stock to collect tomorrow if you're near one of their stores? There's no online stock. You can go on Currys website and leave details to be notified when they're back in stock. Try Argos as well.
 
None in Argos yet has I keep looking
For the mini 6 cellular or 9th generation
Cellular
Apple keep moving delivery back to December I could collect from Apple but
Meadowhall is crazy
Neil
 
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