Steve Jobs tipped mid-year for international release of the 3G iPad, but Apple Australia has it lined up for local launch in the next eight weeks.
It looks like the 3G iPad will hit arrive hot on the heels of its Wi-Fi sibling. Apple’s local Web site lists “Wi-Fi models shipping in late March”, with “3G models shipping in April.”
That’s good news for those eager to get their mits on Apple’s shiny new slate, as Steve Jobs had previously suggested a “June-July timeframe” for international 3G iPads bundled with similar data plans as offered in the US by AT&T.
But as Australia is one of the countries where Apple is carrier-agnostic, with the iPhone available on all four mobile networks, it seems there’s no reason to make us wait.
The sooner-than-expected availability of the iPad 3G means that local carriers will be sharpening their pre-paid wireless data plans and hopefully gearing up for hot competition, as the iPad will be sold outright and unlocked.
Now all we’re waiting for is for Apple to advice on the iPad’s local pricing, which we’ve previously tipped as ranging from $649 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model all the way up to $1,099 for the 64GB 3G build.