Apple’s iPad will go on sale in the UK on 28 May. Photograph: Reuters
Apple has revealed that the iPad, which will go on sale in the UK on 28 May, will cost £429 for the basic version. Prices go all the way up to £699 for the top of the range 64GB device with both Wi-Fi and 3G network access.
The Californian technology company, which has already seen sales of the iPad sail past the 1m mark after just a month in the shops, will open its website for pre-orders of the device to British gadget fans from Monday next week. Alongside the UK, the tablet computer will also be available on 28 May in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland.
Apple pushed back the international launch of the device last month, citing “surprisingly strong US demand”. More than 500,000 were delivered to American retailers and customers in its first week on sale.
In the US, Apple has already sold more than 1m iPads and customers have downloaded more than 12m apps from the App Store, as well as more than 1.5m ebooks from the new iBookstore, Apple added.
In the past, Apple has come in for criticism for the difference between the prices of its products in Europe compared with the US. In the US the basic iPad costs $499, which at the current pound-dollar exchange rate is £338. Apple points out that there are different, and higher, taxes in Europe – the prices it is quoting include VAT – as well as increased transport and other costs.
Apple’s price for the 16GB version of the Wi-Fi only iPad is £429 (including VAT) while the 32GB version is £499 and 64GB is £599. For the Wi-Fi and 3G version of the iPad, the 16GB device will be £529 (including VAT), the 32GB device £599 and the largest 64GB Wi-Fi and 3G iPad will be £699.
The corresponding US prices are $499/$599/$699 and $629/$729/$829. There are also numerous peripherals to push up the price: case ($39), keyboard dock ($69), iPad dock ($29), camera connection kit ($29), USB power adapter ($29), VGA adaptor ($29), wireless keyboard ($69), Mobile Me ($69) and AppleCare ($99).
O2, Orange and Vodafone will all be offering mobile data plans for UK consumers who buy the 3G-enabled iPad, but details have yet to be released.
Apple plans to release iPad in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore in July and will announce availability, local pricing and pre-order plans for these nine additional countries at a later date.
