The iPad seems to be selling well in Asia despite the fact that Apple ’s official oversea launching is n’t until the end of May , as long suit stores obtain them to resell at premium monetary value and traveler to the U.S. make for them home .
The popular pad - similar twist is on sales agreement at two computer memory near the primary electronics bazaar in Taipei , the majuscule city of Taiwan . And despite their close proximity , the computer storage possessor are n’t competing with each other .
“ Why should we attempt to compete , ” asked a shop clerk in Pro International Communication , a store near Taipei ’s Guang Hua computer market . “ These things are selling so well that we ’ll have to get more soon . We do n’t need to lower cost . ”
Taiwanese consumer are paying a premium for an early iPad . The two Taipei stores preserve monovular prices , NT$25,000 ( US$ 800 ) for the 16 GB framework , NT$29,000 ( US$ 925 ) for the 32 GB version and NT$32,000 ( US$ 1,020 ) for the 64 GB iPad . Apple lists the U.S. retail prices at $ 499 , $ 599 and $ 699 , respectively .
estimate of how many iPads have been shipped or gestate outside the U.S. range into the decade of chiliad , and one analyst speculate the figure could be much high . He take down that when the iPhone first launched , only about half the iPhones sold early on were trigger on AT&T networks .
“ Where did all the other 1 go ? Overseas , perhaps ? ” said Allen Nogee , wireless engineering analyst at market researcher In - Stat , of Scottsdale , Arizona .
Most psychoanalyst say the real number is difficult to assess because there are no official international sales yet .
“ Apple has nothing to do with this . It is fundamentally the grey-haired market , ” say Tony Massimini , chief of technology at Semico Research in Phoenix , Arizona . “ The iPads are purchased in the US and then ship to wherever by whomever , ” he added .
The other Taipei shop owner , Mr. Wang , tell he bought about 300 iPads from a company in the U.S. that specializes in procuring specialty trade good and re - sell them to computer memory overseas . He believe around a twelve stores in Taipei offer iPads , and gauge that chiliad of them are on sale citywide . His store , Landmark , caters to people looking for heavy - to - get gadgets . Similar computer memory at electronics bazaars in Singapore , Hong Kong and Shanghai are also sell the devices , he say .
“ We deal about 10 iPads a day , ” he tell , as he answered another call asking about the machine . “ There ’s a shortage of them in the U.S. right now , you know , ” he said . “ Maybe because so many are being ship oversea . ”
Last week , Apple delayed the prescribed international launching of the iPad by a month , due to secure U.S. sales event .
“ Demand in the U.S. was much , much secure than we predicted and so unluckily , we had to push out the international launch to be able to launch the 3 grand whole in the U.S. and to get the Wi - Fi units into the U.S. , ” said Tim Cook , Apple ’s master operating officer , do interrogation during the company ’s quarterly investors ’ conference on Tuesday . “ We will see where this thing goes but it has shocked us the grade of demand , at least initially , ” he added .
The companysold 300,000 iPadson the first solar day the equipment went on sale , with the figuregrowing to 450,000 by day five . Apple correct to update the number of iPads sell at the clock time of the investor ’s conference .
The iPad ’s overseas launch will now lead off at the last of May , when it will become available in nine more nation , including Australia , Germany , Japan and the U.K.
Many potential buyers in these places may choose to hold back for the prescribed local launch .
“ In the U.K. we are n’t yet view iPads in shop class , although some online resellers and auction sites have iPads uncommitted ( with a toll premium ) , ” say Tim Renowden , devices and platforms psychoanalyst at Ovum in London .
“ I do n’t think the unionized iPad grey meaning market in the U.K. is very big , and while the delayed official launch date may encourage some eager client to apply this option , I suspect that most customers are more prepared to await a few weeks than give over the odds , ” he added .
In other places , such as Taiwan , masses are less sure about when the iPad might establish . Gadget fan on the island do n’t want to wait , nor do people who want to look cool with the latest Apple gismo .
“ A lot of consumers just appear at the brand . Apple is always popular , ” said Wang , notice that it helps that the simplified Taiwanese - character system is uncommitted on the devices . Although Taiwan still use traditional Chinese , it ’s not unmanageable for people on the island to read simplify characters from China .
Some psychoanalyst warned multitude who purchase iPads for use abroad before the official launch in their mart must beware of possible pitfalls .
People outside the U.S. who have technical problems or need serving may find it difficult to site an authorised technician , or may have to ship the unit back to Apple , said Massimini .
In - Stat ’s Nogee discourage that since wireless regulations , frequency and transmission king vary by land , including Wi - Fi , some iPads may not sour on wireless web outside the U.S.
Israel has even reportedly banned the iPad because it pronounce the gimmick does not keep up European specifications for Wi - Fi , and customs officials are confiscating them at airports .
The berth with the 3 G iPads , which will be launched April 30 is even more precarious for potential overseas buyers because “ it will habituate AT&T ’s 3 gram frequency and wo n’t operate with 3 chiliad on most other operator web , ” said Nogee . “ Therefore , you are risking a great hand when you buy these U.S. gadget and bear them to act elsewhere , ” he warned .
There ’s also the potential problem of people being ripped - off by purchase pirated or fake iPads , especially in Asia , where cheap Chinese knock - offs of many devices are sell .
“ I enquire in Asia , how many of the iPads for sale are really an iPad , ” Nogee said .
