Apple today announced that the Wi-Fi + 3G models of its iPad will be delivered to US customers who?ve pre-ordered on Friday, April 30, and will be available in Apple retail stores the same day starting at 5:00 p.m.
Apple's latest announcement comes just one week after
the company said that it would delay the international roll-out of its iPad tablet computer for one month, due to heavy demand and swift sales after its launch in the United States.
iPad allows users to browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch HD videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more, all using iPad?s Multi-Touch user interface. iPad Wi-Fi + 3G models are just 0.5 inches thick and weigh just 1.6 pounds?thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook?and deliver up to 10 hours of battery life for surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching videos or listening to music, and up to nine hours of surfing the web using a 3G data network.
Apple retail stores will offer a free Personal Setup service to every customer who buys an iPad at the store, helping them customize their new iPad by setting up their email, loading their favorite apps from the App Store, and more. US Apple retail stores are also hosting special iPad workshops to help customers learn more about this magical new product.
iPad is available in Wi-Fi models in the US for a suggested retail price of $499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB and $699 for 64GB. The Wi-Fi + 3G models will be available on April 30 in the US for a suggested retail price of $629 for 16GB, $729 for 32GB and $829 for 64GB. iPad is sold in the US through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple?s retail stores, most Best Buy stores, select Apple Authorized Resellers and campus bookstores. AT&T is offering breakthrough 3G pre-paid data plans for iPad with easy, on-device activation and management.
iPad will be available at the end of May in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. Apple will announce international pricing and begin taking online pre-orders for iPad on May 10.
Apple's profit doubles
Apple also today announced financial results for its fiscal 2010 second quarter ended March 27, 2010. The Company posted revenue of $13.50 billion and net quarterly profit of $3.07 billion, or $3.33 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $9.08 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.62 billion, or $1.79 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.
Apple said that it had sold 2.94 million Macintosh computers during the quarter, representing a 33 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. The Company also sold 8.75 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 131 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 10.89 million iPods during the quarter, representing a one percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter.
"We?re thrilled to report our best non-holiday quarter ever, with revenues up 49 percent and profits up 90 percent," said Steve Jobs, Apple?s CEO. "We?ve launched our revolutionary new iPad and users are loving it, and we have several more extraordinary products in the pipeline for this year."
Apple did not clarify what new products are planned. One coming device may be an upgraded iPhone and an improved version of Apple TV, a product that lets Mac and PC users take content off the Internet and their computers and display it on widescreen TVs.
The updated iPhone
had been obtained by technology blog Gizmodo.com after an Apple engineer left it at bar.
The blog returned the device after receiving an April 19 request from Apple?s general counsel that Gizmodo give it back.