New Version: 2018.07.06 2.0.0.13865

[rprosperi]

(12-12-2018 01:32 PM)Ninetrees Wrote:  If it is a question of stock, I'd expect someone out there in the US to be out of older versions, and be the first to offer the new one.

HP does not sell to individual dealers or stores, only to a relatively small number of large distributors or national chains; until these are mostly sold-through, HP will likely not make the new model available, else they'd have to take back the old stock, etc.

IMHO, this roll-out was poorly handled inside HP. Today, it's a world marketplace and everyone can know about product availability across the globe about an hour after it's available. So while HP does some things to protect market segments (e.g. if an American buys a G2 from Europe via mail order, the Warranty is not valid here, you would have to contact HP service in the country where it was sold), the reality that a new model is available, even if not locally, will have a negative impact on sales of the current model, making the channel inventory issue even worse, etc. From a global sales perspective, is selling a few hundred units in small markets worth the channel glut in larger markets, and negative publicity?

But some good news for HP is most consumers aren't aware of these issues, and are simply happy to buy the prior model Prime at a local Staples at the now lower price, reduced to help clear the backlog... Sigh...