Amid widespread shortages of the device in the U.S., Apple has confirmed that it plans to launch the iPad 2 in 25 additional countries this Friday, March 25. According to the company, the iPad 2 will be available at Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers at 5 p.m. local time, and through the online Apple Store beginning at 1 a.m, in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. Pricing is listed in the release in US dollars. In addition to announcing the first international rollout details, Apple also announced that the iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, and additional countries in April, and in “many more” countries in the coming months.
“While competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, we’ve changed the game again with iPad 2,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’re experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the US, and customers around the world have told us they can’t wait to get their hands on it. We appreciate everyone’s patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone.”