Apple said today it is launching its iPad 2 tablet computer in 25 additional countries on Friday.
Thata4ぎa4г an early launch for international markets and it suggests that Applea4ぎa4г shortage of units isna4ぎa4д as dire as some observers have feared. Apple continues to be in a mad rush to sell as many tablets as it can in order to head off competition from increasingly competitive rival Android tablets.
The various Apple stores will open at 5 pm local time in their respective countries, while Apple will sell online in those countries starting at 1 am. All models of the iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Singapore and additional countries in April.
a4ぎAWhile competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, wea4ぎa4ёe changed the game again with iPad 2,a4ぎ said Steve Jobs, Applea4ぎa4г chief executive, in a statement. a4ぎAWea4ぎa4вe experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the US, and customers around the world have told us they can&'t wait to get their hands on it. We appreciate everyonea4ぎa4г patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone.a4ぎ
The iPad 2 launched on March 11 in the U.S. amid long lines at 236 Apple stores. It was available in a total of 10,000 locations at the launch, including AT&'T, Verizon Wireless and Best Buy stores. Given the breadth of the launch, Apple clearly had a lot of supply lined up. Some supply experts have wondered if Apple will be impacted by the quake in Japan, which has disrupted the shipments of a lot of key electronics suppliers.
The iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK on March 25 for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16 gigabyte model, $599 for the 32GB model, $699 for the 64GB model.
The iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 for the 16GB model, $729 for the 32GB model and $829 for the 64GB model. Those are the same prices as in the U.S.
Calling all mobile executives: This April 25-26, VentureBeat is hosting its inaugural VentureBeat Mobile Summit, where we&'ll debate the five key business and policy challenges facing the mobile industry today. Participants will develop concrete, actionable solutions that will shape the future of the mobile industry. The invitation-only event, located at the scenic and relaxing Cavallo Point Resort in Sausalito, Calif., is limited to 180 mobile executives, investors and policymakers. We&'ve pretty much finalized the invite list, but have a few spots left. Request an invitation.
[Image credit: kcp4911]
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Companies: Apple
Companies: Apple
Dean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.
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