With reported production problems apparently in the rear view mirror, Apple is set to unveil its latest tech toy. The company has announced that the Wi-Fi version of the hotly anticipated iPad will be available starting April 3rd, all but guaranteeing that it will dominate all the retail and relevant tech headlines in the month of April.
The April 3rd release date is only a few days later than what was originally planned, and every major tech analyst from Wall Street to Silicon Valley is chomping at the bit to get their hands on what many believe will change the tablet PC forever. Originally slated for release in late March, there had been rumors circulating that issues with the iPad screen and other manufacturing issues were arising.
Yet no one really believes that a delayed release date will hurt initial sales or kill any of the buzz associated with the iPad. To wit, Apple’s stock price jumped today despite the announcement of the delay.
Anyone with easy Wi-Fi access can get a crack at the first version of the iPad, with orders being taken starting March 12 at Apple online stores. Prices will vary between $499 and $699. The Wi-Fi + 3G version, expected to be coveted by Apple’s AT&T subscribers, will be available later in the month for between $629-$829, all dependant on whether the consumer wants a 16, 32 or 64 GB version.
One central question that remains is just how many models Apple will make available to the public. Some believe the company will intentionally stick to a low volume early on, creating scarcity and driving up both demand and buzz on the item even further.
The first versions will debut a dozen apps specifically designed for the iPad, including the iBookstore, which will directly compete with Amazon’s Kindle-ready e-books but will not be compatible with e-books already out there. Adobe Flash will not be available but most of the other 150,000 or so applications currently for use on the iPhone will eventually be available on the iPad as well. We covered the pluses and minuses of the iPad back in January so you can learn more about its features there.
Despite all the excitement coming out with the announcement of the iPad release, we DID find at least one person who doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal. Microsoft’s Bill Gates chimed in by saying: “It’s a nice reader, but there’s nothing on the iPad I look at and say, ‘Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it’.”
It remains to be seen if the general public will share his sentiments.
I was taking a look at the ipad on Amazon and I noticed that the Applecare section for the ipad only said it is only 2 years. Does anyone know why is not lasting 3 years like every other Apple product? Ok, well the iphone/ipods now says it is 2 years too on the Applecare. When did they all change to 2 years and not 3?