AppleInsider Staff
The new iPad will be available in China through the Apple online store, select authorize resellers, and by reservation from Apple retail stores. Customers can make reservation requests beginning Thursday, July 19 for pickup the following day between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.
The new iPad Wi-Fi models will be available in black or white for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. The iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular models will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model.
In addition, Apple will also offer the iPad 2, its 2011 model, for $399.
The July 20 launch date announced on Tuesday is a full week earlier than recent reports had suggested the new iPad will debut. Availability of the new iPad in China will come quickly after Apple reached a $60 million settlement with Proview for the right to use the "iPad" brand name in China.
The Wi-Fi-only variant of the new iPad gained regulatory approval in China back in late March. Then a month later, in May, the 3G version was also certified for sale by the nation's government.
It was speculated that the trademark dispute with Proview was the main reason the new iPad had not yet debuted in China. Last year, the iPad 2 launched in China on May 6, debuting a month and a half earlier than the new iPad will be introduced in 2012.
Apple's new third-generation iPad initially launched in 10 places around the world on March 16, including Hong Kong, but not mainland China. Other launch territories in March were the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, and the U.K., as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Christine McKee
William Gallagher
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12 Comments
Funny how just about the last place the iPad is sold is where it is built....
I noticed a while back that Horace Dedieu is forecasting 24 million iPads in the June quarter. I'm very curious to see what Apple's June quarter iPad sales actually were, seeing as how the new iPad was not available in China for the entire quarter. My hunch is that his forecast might not have taken into account the delay in iPad sales in China (his forecast seems suspiciously close to a simple doubling of last year's quarter sales). But man -- if he turns out to be anywhere close to being right (say, iPad sales over 20 million), then Microsoft and Android have lost the tablet market and will NEVER get it back.
I noticed a while back that Horace Dedieu is forecasting 24 million iPads in the June quarter. I'm very curious to see what Apple's June quarter iPad sales actually were, seeing as how the new iPad was not available in China for the entire quarter. My hunch is that his forecast might not have taken into account the delay in iPad sales in China (his forecast seems suspiciously close to a simple doubling of last year's quarter sales). But man -- if he turns out to be anywhere close to being right (say, iPad sales over 20 million), then Microsoft and Android have lost the tablet market and will NEVER get it back.
24 million... hmmmmmm... once China gets a hold of it, maybe, but I don't put sales above 14 million.
I'd like to be wrong. We'll see.
24 million... hmmmmmm... once China gets a hold of it, maybe, but I don't put sales above 14 million.
I'd like to be wrong. We'll see.
Yeah, I thought his estimate was pretty high, too.
24 million... hmmmmmm... once China gets a hold of it, maybe, but I don't put sales above 14 million.
I'd like to be wrong. We'll see.
And we only have to wait two more weeks to find out the truth. Liquidate your assets and buy Apple now before it gets to $1000/share :)