US Demand Delays UK iPad Launch

Apple has delayed the UK launch of the iPad by one month, because of high demand for the tablet device in the US.

The international launch of the iPad has been delayed by one month, because stocks are low after Apple sold 450,000 tablets in the first few days after its US launch – a figure that went up to half a million during the first week of sales.

UK users can buy online

Rumours that the iPad would be launched in the UK on 24 April can now be put to one side, although UK uses do have the option of buying tablets from online shops – which have been imported from the US at a premium – or entering eWEEK Europe’s prize draw for a chance to win one of the coveted devices free.

“Demand will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad,” said an Apple spokesman in a statement. “Faced with this surprisingly strong US demand, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the international launch of iPad by one month.”

Apple will announce international pricing and start taking pre-orders on May 10, with the device expected to show up in the UK online Apple store by the end of April.

Since the US launch, some users have reported problems connecting to Wi-Fi, and other nay-sayers have warned that the size and shape of the device will lead to accidents, but thus far, these considerations have shown no sign of denting initial enthusiasm for the iPad.

The iPad has turned out to be surprisingly costly for Apple to make – a “teardown” has revealed that Apple is paying around £171 for the basic components in each iPad which is considerably more than had been expected.

Apple is also reported to be working on a smaller version of the iPad, which would replace the iPod Touch.