Stock check
In spite of apparently selling out of iPad 2s almost immediately in the US, and the fear of component shortages resulting from the crisis in Japan, Apple has announced its latest tablet will be launched internationally, as planned, on 25 March - this Friday.
It will be available to order from the online Apple Store from 1am and at retailers from 5pm. As ever the size of queues outside Apple's flagship shops will be a barometer of demand for the product, but it will also be interesting to see how quickly the shops sell out of them, in view of the possible supply problems.
Anyway, here's the official pricing, which includes VAT. We've added the new pricing of the original iPad for comparison, and for additional comparison the 32GB Motorola Xoom is currently going for £499.99 Wi-Fi and $599.99 3G. It's also worth noting that the iPad 2 is cheaper than the original iPad when it was first launched by £30 on both 16GB models, £20 on the 32GB ones and £40 on the 64GB ones.
Model | iPad 2 price (£) | iPad price (£) |
16GB Wi-Fi | 399 | 329 |
32GB Wi-Fi | 479 | 399 |
64GB Wi-Fi | 559 | 479 |
16GB 3G | 499 | 429 |
32GB 3G | 579 | 499 |
64GB 3G | 659 | 579 |
The Smart Cover will cost £35 for polyurethane and £59 for leather. The iMovie and GarageBand for iPad apps cost £2.99.
Steve Jobs couldn't resist a gloat in the press release: "While competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, we've changed the game again with iPad 2," he said. "We're 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 everyone's patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone."