2012 comes early: Apple delays iPad worldwide release

Looks like Mac-heads and Apple lovers the world over will have to exercise a bit more iPad patience

By Chris Anderson 15 April, 2010

There's always the "grey market" to find iPads until the official international release.

The Apple iPad worldwide release has been delayed. "Faced with this surprisingly strong U.S. demand, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the international launch of iPad by one month," Apple said in a statement on Wednesday according to an AFP report.

Riots can be expected to break out in cafés around the globe. Maybe. But Apple stores are likely to be inundated with polite complaints and Internet servers jammed with the angry words of bloggers and Apple fanatics.

But before going into a rage, keep these things in mind; there will be more apps available once it's out and they'll be reviewed and used so you'll know which ones to spend money on. The novelty of watching cats and dogs play with iPads will have worn off and you'll be able to enjoy it for what it is, not for the fact some stranger's feline playmate can bat around a squiggly green line. It's also worth knowing that both Wi-Fi and 3G versions will be released in late April, so you might get to pick up one of those when it releases internationally.

It isn't all gloom and doom. Don't let the fact that Apple believes "demand is far higher than we predicted" get to you. We don't get it either. Demand far higher than expected? Really. It's OK Apple, the rest of us forgot about your last major product release as well...

People waiting in line for second generation iPhone release in Dallas, Texas 2008.

Apple plans to announce pricing and will begin taking iPad pre-orders on May 10, so mark the date, and don't let the international iPad delay get you down.