Apple postpones UK launch of iPad by a month
Apple has announced that high demand for its iPad in the US has forced them to postpone the launch of the device internationally by one month. Orange, Vodafone and O2 have confirmed they will be releasing the device in the UK with price plans to be announced next month.
The iPad was due to be unveiled in the UK at the end of this month. Starting at $499 (£332), the iPad will let users browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch videos, listen to music, play games, read e-books and much more.
However, the company has now admitted that heavy demand in the US has been higher than expected and international customers will have to wait as a result. The will not be able to pre-order the devices until the middle of next month either. Orange, Vodafone and O2 say they will offer dedicated iPad price plans for all models from the end of May
In a statement, the company says: “Although we have delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week, demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad. We have also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models for delivery by the end of April.
“Faced with this surprisingly strong US demand, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the international launch of iPad by one month, until the end of May. We will announce international pricing and begin taking online pre-orders on Monday, May 10. 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 US thus far.”
The iPad is 0.5 inches thick and weighs 1.5 pounds. It is designed to be thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook, and aims to deliver battery life of up to 10 hours.
It will include 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 iPhones or iPod touch devices.
Apple says developers are already creating exciting new apps designed for iPad that take advantage of its multi-touch interface, large screen and high-quality graphics. Last week, Apple unveiled its latest software update, which includes a mobile advertising platform called iAd.
Apple announced the launch of the iPad in January. Since then, media companies have been launching compatible app formats for the new touchscreen device.
