New iPad 3G orders shipping May 7, pre-orders still "late April"

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

The Apple Online Store has revealed that new orders placed for the iPad Wi-Fi + 3G models will ship on May 7, while Apple has simultaneously begun emailing customers who pre-ordered to reassure them of their "late April" shipping date.

High demand for the iPad Wi-Fi has caused Apple to delay international release until "late May". Follow-up emails, purportedly from Steve Jobs, confirmed current plans to ship iPad Wi-Fi + 3G internationally at the same time. Unclear wording in one of the emails made it appear US iPad Wi-Fi + 3G orders could also be delayed until "late May", but this appears now not to be the case. (International pre-orders for all models begin May 10).

If you pre-ordered an iPad Wi-Fi from Apple, let us know when you get an actual shipping notification along with the date they're being sent out. If you haven't yet, does finally having a shipping date encourage you to do so?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.