Apple has good news and bad news. The good news is, if you're one of the diehard Apple early adopters who pre-ordered the iPad 3G as soon as it became available, then you'll be getting your new tablet before the end of the month.
The bad news is, if you waited to order your iPad 3G until now, then you'll be waiting until May 7th.
Apple's "magical and revolutionary" iPad has been hit with another delay, albeit one that comes with an asterisk of sorts. Apple has confirmed the forthcoming iPad 3G will still ship by its intended "late April" date " for those that pre-ordered early. However, according to Apple's Web site, the iPad 3G will ship by May 7th for customers who want to order the device now.
The new shipping date for the 3G model is likely another sign of higher-than-expected demand for the new tablet. Last week Apple announced the international release of the iPad would be delayed until May. In a statement last week, Apple said it sold more than 500,000 units in the U.S. since the April 3rd launch and that "demand is far higher than we predicted."
As a result of the "surprisingly strong U.S. demand," Apple made the "difficult decision" to move the international iPad launch back one month. The company said it will begin taking pre-orders and announce pricing for the international release on May 10.
The U.S. launch of the iPad was also delayed; the company had originally said the tablet would begin shipping in later March. However, after conflicting media reports and analyst notes, Apple confirmed the launch would be moved to April 3.
The delays clearly haven't hurt sales of Apple's new device; the iPad's mega-launch earlier this month was met with the usual long lines of loyal fans and crowded Apple Stores.
