Apple confirms iPad in 9 more countries

Apple confirms iPad in 9 more countries and ups price significantly

Apple has confirmed the iPad roll out in 9 more countries. The iPad will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK on Friday, May 28. Pre-orders will start on May 10th.

Apple have also announced that the iPad will be available in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore in July.

Prices are starting to leak out for Europe and the UK. And if they are to be believed I don’t think people will be happy. Nor do I think that the iPad will be a run away success in those new territories.

The European iPad is going on sale (supposedly) at €499, while the UK model will be priced (supposedly) at £429. If that pricing is true then Apple are charging a premium of 27% in Europe and the UK. In other words you will be paying $636.00 for an iPad that sells for $499 in the US.

Apple is charging more for its legitimately imported iPad in the UK and Europe than some grey importers do. This seems to be a return to the Apple of old, which imposed what was known as an “Apple Tax” on foreign customers.

When these items are shipped from the same factory in China to all markets, it’s hard to see how Apple can justify this price hike.

Let us know in the comments if you are excited about the availability of the iPad in your country? And if you are happy with the pricing.

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2 Comments on “Apple confirms iPad in 9 more countries”

  1. Ris

    The US prices does not include the sales tax. The UK price are inclusive of VAT. UK and other European government force manufactures to publish the price inclusive of VAT. Difference is only 2-3% if you remove the VAT from the price calculation.

  2. Marc Schärer

    The availability is ok but I think its a bad joke that we have no official informations at all right now other than “preorder possible starting may 10th”. not having an official price 2 days before preorder is really something only apple can pull off.

    as for the pricing: they better keep it lower than that to be somewhere in the range of the US one too otherwise they might find themself in the self destruct position in europe against android tablets like the adam especially

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