Skip to main content

Japan, other countries getting the iPad 2 this week

Apple iPad 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Apple still can’t make enough iPad 2s to meet consumer demand in any market, so what’s the company doing? Launching the iPad 2 in a dozen new markets this week, and revealing plans to put the Wi-Fi version of the iPad 2 on sale in China beginning May 6.

The iPad 2 will go on sale in Japan on Thursday, April 28—the announcement is particularly significant because Japan was originally slated to get the iPad 2 on March 25, but the launch was delayed by the catastrophic 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami on March 11. April 29 will see the iPad 2 launch in Hong Kong, India, Israel, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Suggested pricing is essentially the same as U.S. pricing: $499 for a 16GB Wi-Fi only model, escalating to $829 for a 64 GB model with 3G capability.

Apple also announced the Wi-Fi only version of the iPad 2 will launch in mainland China on May 6, and that the company plans to announce additional international availability for the device at a later date.

Apple launched the iPad 2 at the beginning of March and, so far, has been unable to meet demand for the device. The company actually fell short of sales forecasts for the iPad 2, in part due to component shortages brought on by the Japanese earthquake. Apple sold almost 4.7 million iPad 2 tablets during the second financial quarter of 2011, and while that was lower than expectations, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer noted that the company had “sold every iPad 2 we could make.” Retail availability of the iPad 2 remains spotty, and wait times for online orders remain one to two weeks.

Editors' Recommendations

Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
Apple needs to fix the iPad
iPad Air 4

While there were rumors that Apple would reveal a new iPad mini during the “Scary Fast” M3 Mac event on October 30, that never came to fruition. In fact, we have yet to see any new iPad models come out this year, which is rather peculiar.

While we’re having a break between iPad releases, I think it’s time to reflect on how much of a mess the lineup is and how Apple should reconsider simplifying the portfolio. While iPads are still among the best tablets you can buy, there's also a lot that should change in 2024.
The problem with iPads today

Read more
The USB-C Apple Pencil fixes an iPad problem I’ve had for years
USB-C port on Apple Pencil

Apple launched a new stylus yesterday. The company is pushing it as an affordable alternative to the second-gen Apple Pencil. In typical Apple fashion, though, the latest stylus — called the Apple Pencil (USB-C) — is still not the most affordable option for your slate. Actually, far from it.

But it finally washes away an embarrassing product blunder, one that crippled the original Apple Pencil functionally and also made it alaughingstock from a design perspective. I won’t say much and will let the issue itself do the talking with this beautiful image:

Read more
Apple may launch new iPads soon, and you should be excited
iPad 2022 first setup.

Apple has been relatively silent since announcing the iPhone 15 series and new Apple Watches in September. However, there are rumors that new iPads could be announced soon. Although Apple didn't announce any new iPads on October 17 as originally suspected, it's evident that new iPads are likely coming at some point in the near future.

As the announcement will almost certainly be made through an online press release, not a full-blown press event, you might think these updates won't be significant. Still, this news could not have come at a better time for those planning to buy an iPad, as the holiday buying season is starting to ramp up.

Read more