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Initial Retina iPad mini Apple Store rollout to be exclusive to Personal Pickup, Apple issues press release

Screen Shot 2013-11-12 at 8.16.21 AM

Due to “limited supply” and “high demand,” the new iPad mini with Retina display will be available at Apple Stores exclusively through the Personal Pickup service for the time-being. Personal Pickup allows a customer to purchase a Retina iPad mini via the Apple Online Store, then pick it up at an Apple Retail location of their choosing. This also means that a customer who wants a Retina iPad mini cannot simply walk-in to an Apple Store and buy one (yet). It’s likely that Apple will allow walk-in purchases when demand meets supply. Apple notified its retail employees of the current sales exclusivity to Personal Pickup customers, and Apple’s own retail website seems to imply similar…

The iPad Air had enough supply to be available for both Personal Pickup customers and walk-in buyers at launch. The iPad Air launched on November 1st, and will be rolling it to several more countries as this year progresses. The iPad mini with Retina display starts at $399, and surprisingly launched early this morning without any official announcement from Apple. Interestingly, all of checks for Personal Pickup availability via Apple’s Online Store have come up with no stores having inventory. Perhaps stores will begin stocking Retina minis in the coming few days, and we’ve heard international stores have already begun receiving supply of the new tablet.

The Retina iPad mini is shipping to customer homes in 1-3 days in the entry level models in the U.S., and 5-7 days for higher-capacity and cellular variants.

Apple has also issued a press release about today’s launch:

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® announced iPad® mini with Retina® display is available starting today. The new iPad mini brings all the pixels from the 9.7-inch iPad to its 7.9-inch screen, delivering razor sharp text and detail in an amazingly thin and light design. It features the powerful and power-efficient Apple-designed A7 chip with 64-bit desktop-class architecture, ultrafast wireless with faster built-in Wi-Fi and expanded LTE cellular connectivity, iOS 7 featuring hundreds of great new features and access to all 475,000 apps designed specifically for iPad.

“The response to iPad Air has been incredible, and we’re excited for customers to experience the new iPad mini with Retina display,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “We think customers will love both of these thin, light, powerful new iPads, and we’re working hard to get as many as we can in the hands of our customers.”

Pricing & Availability

iPad mini with Retina display will be available starting today in silver or space gray. iPad mini with Retina display Wi-Fi models will be available for a suggested retail price of $399 (US) for the 16GB model, $499 (US) for the 32GB model, $599 (US) for the 64GB model and $699 (US) for the 128GB model. iPad mini with Retina display Wi-Fi + Cellular models will be available for a suggested retail price of $529 (US) for the 16GB model, $629 (US) for the 32GB model, $729 (US) for the 64GB model and $829 (US) for the 128GB model. Additionally, the original iPad mini continues to be available at the more affordable price of $299 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and $429 (US) for the 16GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model for either AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or Verizon.

Custom-designed polyurethane Smart Covers for iPad mini with Retina display and iPad mini are available for $39 (US) in a range of vibrant colors, including blue, green, pink, yellow, black and (RED). Additionally, a beautiful aniline-dyed leather iPad mini Smart Case is available in six rich colors, including yellow, beige, blue, brown, black and (RED) for a suggested retail price of $69 (US) for both models of iPad mini. Smart Covers and Smart Cases are available through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and select Authorized Apple Resellers.

iPad mini with Retina display is available to order through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com) to ship or through Personal Pickup at Apple’s retail stores, and through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple’s PR website (www.apple.com/pr), or call Apple’s Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.

© 2013 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, iPad and Retina are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Comments

  1. ryancfitzpatrick - 10 years ago

    I just ordered mine with shipping! Ships in 1-3 days

    • Greg Hayes - 10 years ago

      I ordered online but when i tried to select in-store pickup they all say unavailable

  2. Dan Grubbs - 10 years ago

    Just ordered mine to be shipped too.

  3. Parvez Hussain - 10 years ago

    It doesn’t ship to the 5th Ave Apple Store until Dec 4th. Ugh.

  4. Scott C - 10 years ago

    Had the best pick up experience at an apple store. Ordered on line, a couple hours later walked into the packed store, greeter said 10 minutes. Waited about 5 when an associated asked how they could help. Told them, showed my id, nicely mentioned that I was familiar with the back up and so on process and that I wouldn’t’ need a bag. The sales associate went back got the item, asked for my email, handed me the box and said thank you for being my easiest customer. However, with mall traffic and crowds delivery is my only option until after the holidays.
    are the minis actually shipping in 1 to 3 days?

  5. Higher capacity devices have moved to 5-10 business days for shipping from Apple.

  6. I want to get mine through T-Mobile since they have two years of interest-free and penalty-free “financing” for the LTE models. But the website does not yet show the Retina version and the people at the local stores have responded with typical “we don’t know” and “has to be done online” responses.

    • kgbxl - 10 years ago

      just FYI, if you purchase through the tmobile financing, you don’t get the 200mb of free monthly cell data. only the fully paid ipads get the free cell data.

  7. Ted Stenton (@TStenton) - 10 years ago

    went to Apple store in Montreal Pointe Claire this am….Not a clue that they are even released No One even knows????? Execution failure big time Apple!!

  8. quandmeme - 10 years ago

    When movies launch without critics getting a screening it is a signal that it is going to be a terrible (or at least lowest-common-denominator) movie.
    Are there reviews of this device out? I’m worried about it being another iPad 3.

    Wishful thinking has me wondering if instead it is just going to be so hot that Apple didn’t
    Need to hype it any more.

    Links to review?

  9. Timothy Barlow - 10 years ago

    I ordered mine last night, 64gb wifi only. I received an order email but still haven’t received a confirmed shopping email. Also money hasn’t left my account. has anyone got a shipped email yet?

    • ellzworth - 10 years ago

      No “shipped” email either. Placed my order this morning at 12:30am pacific time.

  10. Michael (@Dugknight) - 10 years ago

    Ordered online, ships in 1 to 3 days also. Really would like to pick up in the store now! Too bad. Hoping it comes available in the store before it ships so I can change to pickup.

  11. Donna Evans - 10 years ago

    Screen protectors like the sapphire ones are a must for any smartphone, tablet, etc! ZAGG, Stealth Lite, Rhino and 3M screen protectors are awesome. If you can’t get your hands on one, get a GEARMAXX screen protector. They sell on ebay for cheap and are as high quality and durable!

  12. Lisa F - 10 years ago

    ordered mine on the 12th and it still says just processing……that was 9 days ago:(. Of course I got my cover in 2 days……