Apple begins shipping iPad 3G preorders before Friday's launch
Customers who pre-purchased the iPad with 3G data connectivity began receiving notifications Thursday that their order has shipped in time for the device's Friday launch.
Unlike the Wi-Fi-only iPad, which arrived on Saturday, April 3, via UPS, Apple has opted to ship the iPad 3G with FedEx. As expected, the orders state that the hardware is due to be delivered by April 30, which is the official launch day for the WiFi + 3G iPad.
The device will also be available in Apple's retail stores on Friday, but customers will have to wait until 5 p.m. until they can purchase. The 3G iPad models carry a $130 premium over their Wi-Fi-only counterparts. The 16GB model starts at $629, the 32GB capacity is $729, and the high-end 64GB offering is $829.
In the U.S., AT&T will offer no-contract data plans for the iPad, starting at $15 per month for 250MB of bandwidth, or $30 for unlimited access. Both plans offer free access to AT&T's nationwide Wi-Fi spots. The iPad ships unlocked and uses GSM micro-SIM cards, but the internal 3G radio is only compatible in the U.S. with the AT&T 3G network.
The 3G model offers an estimated 9 hours of battery life when surfing the Web using a 3G data network. Surfing on Wi-Fi has a slightly longer estimated capacity of 10 hours.
Though the 3G launch is proceeding in the U.S. as planned, Apple earlier this month was forced to delay the international launch of both the Wi-Fi and 3G models until late May. Officials said higher-than-expected demand for the iPad in the U.S. forced the delay, so that Apple could accommodate all of the 3G orders for the April 30 launch.
Apple sold more than a half-million iPads in the first week of sales of the Wi-Fi-only model. One recent estimate suggested that the device recently crossed the 1 million milestone by counting devices spotted on an online advertising network.
Unlike the Wi-Fi-only iPad, which arrived on Saturday, April 3, via UPS, Apple has opted to ship the iPad 3G with FedEx. As expected, the orders state that the hardware is due to be delivered by April 30, which is the official launch day for the WiFi + 3G iPad.
The device will also be available in Apple's retail stores on Friday, but customers will have to wait until 5 p.m. until they can purchase. The 3G iPad models carry a $130 premium over their Wi-Fi-only counterparts. The 16GB model starts at $629, the 32GB capacity is $729, and the high-end 64GB offering is $829.
In the U.S., AT&T will offer no-contract data plans for the iPad, starting at $15 per month for 250MB of bandwidth, or $30 for unlimited access. Both plans offer free access to AT&T's nationwide Wi-Fi spots. The iPad ships unlocked and uses GSM micro-SIM cards, but the internal 3G radio is only compatible in the U.S. with the AT&T 3G network.
The 3G model offers an estimated 9 hours of battery life when surfing the Web using a 3G data network. Surfing on Wi-Fi has a slightly longer estimated capacity of 10 hours.
Though the 3G launch is proceeding in the U.S. as planned, Apple earlier this month was forced to delay the international launch of both the Wi-Fi and 3G models until late May. Officials said higher-than-expected demand for the iPad in the U.S. forced the delay, so that Apple could accommodate all of the 3G orders for the April 30 launch.
Apple sold more than a half-million iPads in the first week of sales of the Wi-Fi-only model. One recent estimate suggested that the device recently crossed the 1 million milestone by counting devices spotted on an online advertising network.
Comments
@ anantksundaram, I got my tracking number.
In the Apple store tomorrow, but when's it going to be at Best Buy - I've got hundreds of dollars worth of vouchers for there!
The original WiFi iPad appeared in both stores at the same time. I haven't heard anything to suggest that this one will be any different. Although I don't know if Best Buy can get you the 3G micro-SIM.
I got my tracking number!!!!
I don't know if Best Buy can get you the 3G micro-SIM.
Not that I know either, but I would think they could. They do sell AT&T phones there. Maybe I should just call them
I'm pretty sure though that they'll have a box full of these : http://www.devicemag.com/2010/04/29/...cro-sim-cards/
Got my notification a few hours ago... My wife is happier than I am. I've been hogging her iPad for the past 3 weeks.
@ anantksundaram, I got my tracking number.
Ouch. There was no need to rub it in...... I hope it's not a long, lonely weekend.....
(Btw, does anyone know if 3G on the iPad will allow Skype, Truphone, etc?)
Ouch. There was no need to rub it in...... I hope it's not a long, lonely weekend.....
(Btw, does anyone know if 3G on the iPad will allow Skype, Truphone, etc?)
Never used Skype or Truphone, but I did use Line2 on my wife's wifi iPad. Works great!
No tracking number for me yet.......
Me neither.
I didn't order until April 12th and mine is going to the Southeast US. When did you put in your order and what area is it going.
PS: I have to wait until next Tuesday to get my new MBP and i have my 1TB HDD (OptiBay) and Intel X25 SSD sitting here waiting to go into it. It's killing me!
I do expect Apple to sell as many 3G iPads as they did the wifi version, polls taken online showed the 16GB wfi and the 3G 64GB models as the most popular, with the in between models seeing less interest.
Apple sold more than a half-million iPads in the first week of sales of the Wi-Fi-only model. One recent estimate suggested that the device recently crossed the 1 million milestone by counting devices spotted on an online advertising network.
Ok that site is highly inaccurate. They said Apple has sold over 500,000 iPad when Apple announced they sold something around 350,000 iPads. So I would take that 1 million estimate with a grain of salt.
I emailed that site and told them that the Safari user agent can be altered to make it appear as if itś a iPad accessing the web.
Me neither.
I didn't order until April 12th and mine is going to the Southeast US. When did you put in your order and what area is it going.
PS: I have to wait until next Tuesday to get my new MBP and i have my 1TB HDD (OptiBay) and Intel X25 SSD sitting here waiting to go into it. It's killing me!
Nice, you getting the 13" or the 15" MBP. I save $ 1500 and still don't know which one I want. I like the 13" been portable friendly with 10 hours battery but the i5 sound more sweeter...
The Case shipped yesterday, (was: "Ships by May 5").
The iPad 3G shows prepared for shipment (shows: "Ships by Late April")
Mine goes to SF East Bay area.
Neither has been charged to my CC.
.
Me neither.
I didn't order until April 12th and mine is going to the Southeast US. When did you put in your order and what area is it going.
I ordered mine March 12th!
Wait a minute, I recall you had already bought iPad, tried it, and returned it?!
Can someone please explain how the ipad is unlocked but internal 3G radio only works with AT&T issue? I'm confused.