The iPad Mini Might Be Hard To Buy This Holiday Season

The iPad Mini Might Be Hard To Buy This Holiday Season
An Apple employee demonstrates the new iPad Mini on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, in San Francisco. Apple unveiled a new, thinner, lighter tablet called the "iPad Air" and the iPad Mini with Retina Display, along with a slew of new Macs Tuesday at an event in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
An Apple employee demonstrates the new iPad Mini on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, in San Francisco. Apple unveiled a new, thinner, lighter tablet called the "iPad Air" and the iPad Mini with Retina Display, along with a slew of new Macs Tuesday at an event in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

If you're planning to buy a new iPad mini with Retina display, hit the Internet now. Three weeks after being announced, the updated tablet is finally on sale to consumers, Apple said Tuesday. But the smaller iPad might not last through the holiday season because Apple has a short supply of them.

For now, the only place you can get the new iPad mini is online from Apple. The high-definition iPad mini, which costs between $399 and $829, is not yet available in Apple Stores. Apple claims that the new iPad mini can be shipped to a local Apple Store if you buy it online, but all of the zip codes I entered have come up as "unavailable for pickup."

Selling the new iPad mini only online is a surprising move, since Apple has historically launched new products online and in stores at the same time. The change is likely because there may not be enough iPad minis with Retina to go around this holiday season.

Apple CEO Tim Cook suggested that there could be a shortage of the new minis during the company's earnings call at the end of October. The new smaller Retina screens are rumored to be causing problems for manufacturers, delaying production.

By not releasing the new iPad Minis in stores, Apple seems to be attempting to slow their sales as to not run out way before Christmas. Not placing one of its most sought-after products in stores runs counter to Apple's whole retail strategy, which since the early 2000s has been to push gadgets in sleek, brick-and-mortar stores.

Thankfully the iPad mini with Retina will ship in time for Thanksgivukkah on Nov. 28.

Before You Go

Apple's Oct. 22nd Event

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