Analyst raises iPod shipment estimates

BusinessWeek blogs that Piper Jaffrey analyst Gene Munster has upped his prediction that Apple will sell 11 miillion iPods this quarter from his original 9 million estimate. "This is based primarily on what he says is better-than-expected availability from Apple, both through its online store and in its retail stores."

According to the post, Munster reached this new number by looking "at historical market data from market researcher NPD Group that shows that that in the past two years, Apple sold 34% of all MP3 players in the months of October and November, and 66% of the total sold in December."

Munster thinks Apple will hit 45% share this December, based "on the belief that 66% is just too big a number given the huge volumes at play." Too conservative? According to a survey by Morgan Stanley's Rebecca Runkle, only "4% of iPod shoppers plan to go with another make."

So if your looking for the iPod this season and can't find it in stock, do you buy another brand or wait? Personally, I'd wait because another couple of weeks won't kill me, but WWMAD (what would mainstream America do)?