Anyone outside of the USA eagerly anticipating the international release of the Apple iPad will have to wait.  Apple announced yesterday on its website that it intended to delay the launch of the iPad until the end of May, as it had sold more units than originally anticipated. This could indicate that Apple are struggling to source enough units from their manufacturers in the Far East to keep up to speed with PR buzz and the associated swelling demand for the product.

Having delivered in excess of 500,000 units in its first week on sale, demand for the Apple iPad is continuing to grow as more people come into contact with the product and its ferocious marketing drive. Apple has also indicated a flurry of early orders for the 3G version of the iPad.

Demand for the Apple iPad in the USA has effectively forced Apple to take stock, reevaluate and delay the launch of the product internationally until the end of May. The good news for early adopters in international markets is that Apple intends to announce pricing and taking pre-orders for the iPad on Monday 10^th May. Apple was apologetic to eager customers outside the USA for the delay of the iPad and hinted that the products success stateside should be a source of encouragement for international customers.

Clearly in the USA, sales of the Wi-Fi enabled iPad have been promising. To what extent will the 3G-enabled iPad outperform its weaker counterpart in terms of product sales?

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