TMO Reports - iPod Photo Shipping; Stores Quoting Stock Early Next Week

by , 1:15 PM EDT, October 27th, 2004

Apple began shipping Wednesday its new iPod Photo portable multimedia device, a day after it debuted the product, TMO readers and product buyers have confirmed. A number of Apple retail stores in the U.S. told TMO Wednesday they will have "sparse" availability of the new product by the end of next week.

Readers starting receiving notice of product shipments Wednesday, saying their iPod Photo would come direct via air freight from Taiwan and China to arrive early next month.

Sources close to Apple have confirmed to The Mac Observer that the product began being produced in the last four weeks at two different production sites in Taiwan and China and that the new products will be shipped directly to customers and to retail stores by air freight for at least the next two months.

TMO readers received e-mail confirmation directly from Apple as early as 1am EDT Wednesday saying their orders were being processed. Delivery dates ranged from November 3 to November 15.

Consumers ordering the iPod Photo Wednesday directly from Apple's online store were being quoted delivery dates of one to two weeks.

12 different Apple retail stores throughout the U.S. told TMO Wednesday they are expecting stock of the new iPod anywhere from the beginning of next week to Nov. 5.

"We know they're on the way and we were informed by e-mail to expect a small quantity by next Wednesday (Nov. 3)," said a salesman at the Apple retail store in Kansas City, Missouri. "The number of units will be sparse," said another at the retail store in Atlanta. "I think we're getting less than 30 at least to begin with."