The latest Good E-Reader news has Apple announcing that it will delay the international launch of the Apple IPAD until the end of May, said an Apple spokesman today. “We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news, but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason – the iPad is a runaway success in the U.S. thus far,” Apple said in a statement.
Apple for the second time is delaying the international launch, but admitted that it will begin taking international pre-orders on May 11th. Rogers Communications has also made an announcement today saying they will offer the 3G and other models of the iPad to Canadian customers at the end of May.
In Addition, Vodafone Group said Wednesday it will offer iPad price plans from the end of May in Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Britain. Orange said it would offer plans in France, Britain, Spain and Switzerland.
Analysts said Apple is having difficulty ramping up iPad production, but that any frustration from overseas customers would likely give way to pent-up demand for the popular touch screen device once it hits store shelves. More than 500,000 iPad’s were sold in the first week of sales which impressed analysts, many of whom expect roughly 5 million in 2010, though estimates vary widely.
This delay in International sales is a boon to the grey market reselling industry. Many people on EBay, and Craigslist are offering iPad’s at a 150 to 300 mark-up and charging over 1200.00 for the top of the line 3G WI model.
Apple has much riding on the success of the 9.7-inch touch screen tablet, essentially a cross between a Smartphone and a laptop. The tablet computer market is expected to grow to as many as 50 million units by 2014, according to analysts. Rivals such as Dell, HP, Microsoft, Neofonie and Toshiba are hoping that the Apple iPad creates and substantiates an entire class of devices.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
