Apple iPad to arrive in U.S. on April 3, preorders begin March 12

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Apple has announced that its long-awaited iPad will be available for purchase for consumers starting on Saturday, April 3, while pre-orders for the multi-touch device will begin on March 12.



While the Wi-Fi model will be the only available at first, the 3G-capable iPad is expected to arrive in late April. In addition, all versions of the hardware will be available in the U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Italy, Japan, Span and Switzerland in late April.



Preorders for the iPad will begin on March 12, with both the Wi-Fi and 3G models available for reserve from apple.com. The Wi-Fi model will be available in-store as well on Saturday, April 3. That date is just a few days later than the 60-day launch window Apple announced at the device's unveiling in late January.



"iPad is something completely new," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. "We're excited for customers to get their hands on this magical and revolutionary product and connect with their apps and content in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before."



A pair of recent rumors have suggested that the initial availability of the iPad could be limited. However, while the launch shipments could be restricted, reports have suggested that supply constraints will not last long.



Friday's announcement from Apple also disproves a rumor of an earlier launch date, which also brings into question the report's claims that Apple store employees would receive training on March 10, and TV commercials for the iPad would begin to air on March 15. The inaccurate report came from The Examiner.



Analyst predictions for first-year iPad sales are varied, with Wall Street forecasting between one million and five million shipments. The market for the iPad is expected to grow as developers find new, unique uses for the device through the App Store.



Starting at $499 for 16GB of storage, the iPad lets users browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more. The iPad is 0.5 inches thick and weighs 1.5 pounds, making it thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook. It also delivers battery life of up to 10 hours.







Apple said the iPad's multi-touch interface makes surfing the web an entirely new experience, dramatically more interactive and intimate than on a computer. Users can read and send email on iPad's large screen and almost full-size "soft" keyboard or import photos from a Mac, PC or digital camera, see them organized as albums, and enjoy and share them using iPad's slideshows. iPad makes it easy to watch movies, TV shows and YouTube, all in HD, or flip through the pages of an e-book you downloaded from Apple's new iBookstore while listening to your music collection.



The App Store on iPad lets users wirelessly browse, buy and download new apps from the world's largest app store. iPad includes 12 new innovative apps designed especially for iPad and will run almost all of the more than 150,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for the iPhone or iPod touch.







The new iBooks app for iPad includes Apple's new iBookstore, the best way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile product. The iBookstore will feature books from the New York Times Best Seller list from both major and independent publishers, including Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Group and Simon & Schuster.







The iTunes Store gives iPad users access to the world's most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over 12 million songs, over 55,000 TV episodes and over 8,500 films including over 2,500 in stunning high definition. All the apps and content you download on iPad from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBookstore will be automatically synced to your iTunes library the next time you connect with your computer.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 197
    akf2000akf2000 Posts: 223member
    *just* $499?! That's 5 meals out for me *burp*
  • Reply 2 of 197
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,403member
    AI, I realize you had to make a story out of it, but one line of 'news,' and the rest just cut-and-paste of corporate-speak from Apple!?
  • Reply 3 of 197
    applegreenapplegreen Posts: 421member
    The key question is: How many can one person pre-order? I have a family of 6. And, everyone wants one.
  • Reply 4 of 197
    monstrositymonstrosity Posts: 2,234member
    Bagsy one one them
  • Reply 5 of 197
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,630member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleGreen View Post


    The key question is: How many can one person pre-order? I have a family of 6. And, everyone wants one.



    I doubt Apple will limit how much money you can send to them.
  • Reply 6 of 197
    elmcitywebelmcityweb Posts: 109member
    They finally announced the date. Good.



    Now let the pre-order and launch date frenzy begin!



    How many rumors of new production estimates before launch? I'm thinking another 5 or 6.
  • Reply 7 of 197
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    So it's late then.
  • Reply 8 of 197
    aizmovaizmov Posts: 989member
    I can't wait to pre-order mine.



    Can we also pre-order the WiFi + 3G model on March 12th?
  • Reply 9 of 197
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    .,,,,
  • Reply 10 of 197
    blowabsblowabs Posts: 70member
    Should I wait till the bugs are out first....hmmm....
  • Reply 11 of 197
    "While the Wi-Fi model will be the only available at first, the 3G-capable iPad is expected to arrive in late April. In addition, all versions of the hardware will be available in the U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Italy, Japan, Span and Switzerland in late April."



    Thats a fuzzy announcement. What does it mean for me living in Germany? Do I have to wait until later of April even if I want to buy only the wifi version or will this one also arrive in Germany on April 3??



    Peter
  • Reply 12 of 197
    abster2coreabster2core Posts: 2,501member
    Right from the horses mouth:
    Quote:

    CUPERTINO, California—March 5, 2010—Apple® today announced that its magical and revolutionary iPad will be available in the US on Saturday, April 3, for Wi-Fi models and in late April for Wi-Fi + 3G models. In addition, all models of iPad will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK in late April.



    Beginning a week from today, on March 12, US customers can pre-order both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models from Apple’s online store (www.apple.com) or reserve a Wi-Fi model to pick up on Saturday, April 3, at an Apple retail store.



    http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/03/05ipad.html



  • Reply 13 of 197
    cu10cu10 Posts: 294member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bdkennedy1 View Post


    So it's late then.



    Was there ever an official launch date? March X was somehow an expected launch date, but googling 'ipad release date' yields April also.



    Good devices take time!
  • Reply 14 of 197
    ghostface147ghostface147 Posts: 1,629member
    Good luck to those who purchase one. I am sure it will fit your needs well.
  • Reply 15 of 197
    daveyjjdaveyjj Posts: 120member
    Excellent that you can reserve one at an Apple store. I will be doing just that come March 12, and then driving to Buffalo (from Toronto) to pick my WiFi 64GB version up April 3rd.
  • Reply 16 of 197
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ghostface147 View Post


    Good luck to those who purchase one. I am sure it will fit your needs well.



    Thank you for you wishes. For me, need is not really an issue, I simply want one (or two). At least one will sit in the family room, next to the TV etc. and be convenient for family to use & browse, while maintaining some social connection, & one will become my latest business travel companion.
  • Reply 17 of 197
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Abster2core View Post


    Right from the horses mouth:



    Didn't really help much to get a quote.



    But if the thing isn't operator locked (is it?) I can go to any of the mentioned countries and purchase a Wifi or later on a Wifi + 3G and carry home to Sweden. Or?



    I am still wondering about one thing: tethering your iPhone to a Wifi-only iPad? Will work?
  • Reply 18 of 197
    svnippsvnipp Posts: 430member
    Now if only Apple would announce or release the MBP updates. The wait on this is really killing me.
  • Reply 19 of 197
    jglavinjglavin Posts: 93member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tumme-totte View Post


    I am still wondering about one thing: tethering your iPhone to a Wifi-only iPad? Will work?



    That is an excellent question, one which Apple hasn't provided any info on as far as I can tell.



    Me personally, I plan to use PDAnet to tether over wifi, as AT&T has yet to officially sanction tethering in the US AFAIK.
  • Reply 20 of 197
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Apple has announced that its long-awaited iPad will be available for purchase for consumers starting on Saturday, April 3, while pre-orders for the multi-touch device will begin on March 12 ....



    This kind of makes me wonder what all that junk about "sign up to be notified when it's available for order" was about though.



    I signed up multiple times on both Canadian and USA Apple stores, and I have to hear about it on the web?
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