iPad's international launch slated for May 28

SAN FRANCISCO, 09 May (bdnews24.com/Reuters) - Apple Inc said on Friday it will launch the iPad tablet computer in nine international markets on May 28, following a strong debut in the United States last month.

The iPad will go on sale in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and Britain. Pre-ordering for those markets will start on May 10.

The international launch was originally scheduled for late April, but Apple delayed it by a month due to what it called higher-than-expected demand.

In Britain, the iPad will sell for between 429 pounds and 699 pounds ($664 to $1,081), depending on the model. In the United States, the most expensive iPad costs $829.

Apple also said the iPad will expand to Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore in July.


Separately, France Telecom announced pricing plans for iPad connections and said it would not subsidise the device.

The iPad, a 9.7-inch touchscreen tablet intended primarily for games, Web browsing and digital media of all sorts, went on sale in the United States on April 3.

The company has already sold more than 1 million iPads. Analysts expect the company to sell roughly 5 million this year.

Shares of Cupertino, California-based Apple fell 3.9 percent to $237 in midday trading on the Nasdaq. The broader Nasdaq market was down 1.8 percent.

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