iPad pre-orders said in hundreds of thousands

The iPad's pre-orders have been strong enough that they could outrun even the original iPhone launch, according to a new slip of details from the company. Pre-orders have already reached into the "hundreds of thousands" in the past week and are predicted by WSJ sources to be strong enough that there could be more iPads sold in the first quarter of sales than the 1.12 million the iPhone managed in its own first full quarter in 2007. Unofficial estimates have already put Apple's pre-order tally at 200,000 units, not including in-store pickups.

The sales spike hasn't been given an explanation, though the iPad's feature set for the price has improved considerably over that of the first-run iPhone. Both cost $499, but the absence of a required cellular plan along with the more computer-like design have led many to treat the iPad as equivalent to a netbook in their buying habits.

In spite of the fervor, Apple may have had some of its most hoped-for iPad launch plans delayed. The sources assert that the company is still trying to negotiate content deals even with two weeks left before launch. Among these would be $1 iTunes TV shows and more advanced formatting for periodicals and textbooks to take advantage of the iPad's form factor.

Most of the delays are thought to have stemmed from old-world content providers worried that the deals would erode their existing revenue streams. Print publishers have often been worried about advertising rates on e-readers, and TV studios can at times be at odds with cable and satellite providers that might threaten to pull channels if Internet TV lures customers away from subscriptions.

Sales of more than 1 million iPads would give Apple a third of Amazon's rumored 3 million plus Kindle sales, which themselves took two years to reach even with lower pricing on devices and books.

By Electronista Staff