The iPad frenzy has now gone international. On Friday, Apple’s tablet computer — which sold a million units in the month after its U.S. launch on April 3 — became available in Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Japan, Australia and Canada.
At Apple’s flagship U.K. store on Regent Street, hundreds attended the launch at 8 a.m. Actor and writer Stephen Fry was among those in attendance, as was the world’s tallest couple — in full wedding attire, holding his and her iPads.
25 Percent Higher in Britain
In Britain, the price for the iPad is about 25 percent more than the equivalent U.S. price. Many Apple products are priced higher in the U.K., at least partly because of the country’s value-added tax. Nevertheless, a possible iPad inventory shortage has led retailer Best Buy to limit sales to one per household at the two U.K. stores that currently carry the iPad. The original timetable for the international release was delayed because of concerns about inventory.
In Toronto’s Yorkdale Mall, a small but enthusiastic crowd was reported at the flagship Apple store in Canada. The diminished size of the crowd may have been due to the fact that some interested Canadians purchased an iPad after its U.S. release.
In Toronto, as at most other Apple stores in the nine countries, one line was for customers who pre-ordered, and another was for those buying on the spot. Apple began pre-orders for all nine countries on May 10. Instant activation was available for those who couldn’t wait to get home and activate it themselves via iTunes on their computers.
At the flagship Apple store in Tokyo, some buyers camped out front to be certain of a place in what became long, chanting lines. In Sydney, Apple said about a thousand people waited in line, many carrying… Details
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