Citing strong demand in the U.S. market, Apple has announced it is delaying the international launch of the iPad by one month, but will start taking online pre-orders for the device beginning May 10. However, Apple has not shifted its plans to start shipping the first 3G-enabled versions of the iPad in the U.S. beginning this month—so far, iPads are only available with Wi-Fi wireless connectivity.
“We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news,” Apple wrote in a statement, “but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason—the iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far.”
Apple said it sold more than 500,000 iPads during the device’s first week of availability, and believes it will have difficulty meeting demand for the iPad “over the next several weeks.”
Apple initially planned to make the iPad available worldwide in March; Apple then slightly delayed the launch of the iPad in the U.S. until early April and pushed back the international launch until late April. Now, customers outside the U.S. won’t be able to set hands on the devices until late May.
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