The actual release date for the 3G-embedded version of the iPad is still a bit hazy, but at least the online Apple store is now showing a firm shipping date for new orders: by May 7. Apple's original time frame was "late April," and at least some iPad 3G pre-order customers are still being told to expect their tablets before the month is out.
MacRumors (among many other Apple blogs) noticed the change on the iPad order page early Monday. It now reads "Ships: By May 7th" rather than "late April," while the Wi-Fi-only iPad (which officially went on sale April 3) shows a wait of "5-7 business days" for new orders.
And John Paczkowski of All Things Digital reports that some customers who'd already pre-ordered the 3G iPad received e-mails Monday morning to "confirm that your order will be shipped in late April as communicated at the time you placed your order."
The news comes less than a week after Apple announced it was delaying the iPad's international launch until the "end of May" due to "surprisingly strong" demand in the U.S., with the company saying it would detail overseas iPad pricing and begin taking pre-orders on May 12. In the announcement, Apple claimed it had "delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week" of U.S. sales, a number that was "far higher than we predicted."
Put simply, it looks like demand for the iPad is outpacing supply — good news for Apple (so long as it manages to eventually step up production), but bad news for customers who haven't already pre-ordered the "magical and revolutionary iPad 3G."
So, is it safe to say that Apple's been forced to delay the 3G iPad in the U.S. just as it has the standard iPad for international markets? Well, depends how you look at it. Yes, if you're only ordering the 3G iPad now, you'll have to wait until May to receive your tablet. On the other hand, it sounds like Apple will be shipping 3G iPads to at least some pre-order customers by the end of the month ... so, strictly speaking, Apple will have made its deadline. Barely.
MacRumors (among many other Apple blogs) noticed the change on the iPad order page early Monday. It now reads "Ships: By May 7th" rather than "late April," while the Wi-Fi-only iPad (which officially went on sale April 3) shows a wait of "5-7 business days" for new orders.
And John Paczkowski of All Things Digital reports that some customers who'd already pre-ordered the 3G iPad received e-mails Monday morning to "confirm that your order will be shipped in late April as communicated at the time you placed your order."
The news comes less than a week after Apple announced it was delaying the iPad's international launch until the "end of May" due to "surprisingly strong" demand in the U.S., with the company saying it would detail overseas iPad pricing and begin taking pre-orders on May 12. In the announcement, Apple claimed it had "delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week" of U.S. sales, a number that was "far higher than we predicted."
Put simply, it looks like demand for the iPad is outpacing supply — good news for Apple (so long as it manages to eventually step up production), but bad news for customers who haven't already pre-ordered the "magical and revolutionary iPad 3G."
New 3G iPad orders to ship videos
So, is it safe to say that Apple's been forced to delay the 3G iPad in the U.S. just as it has the standard iPad for international markets? Well, depends how you look at it. Yes, if you're only ordering the 3G iPad now, you'll have to wait until May to receive your tablet. On the other hand, it sounds like Apple will be shipping 3G iPads to at least some pre-order customers by the end of the month ... so, strictly speaking, Apple will have made its deadline. Barely.
New 3G iPad orders to ship video
The 3G-embedded iPads sell for $629 (for the 16GB model), $729 (32GB), or $829 (64GB), with AT&T offering two levels of 3G data service: $15 a month for 250MB of data, or $30 a month for unlimited data.
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