iPad store pickup option also removed from the Apple Store

Mar 29, 2010 10:39 GMT  ·  By
Current shipping dates for iPad pre-orders (screenshot from Apple's online store)
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   Current shipping dates for iPad pre-orders (screenshot from Apple's online store)

A quick trip to the Apple online store will show you that iPad pre-orders placed beginning now will only materialize on April 12th. Huge demand for the tablet computer coupled with delayed shipments of iPad touch-panels from Taiwan-based TPK Touch Solutions have resulted in pushed shipping dates, which Apple is now struggling to meet. Apple has also removed the option of reserving an iPad for in-store pickup.

Reportedly, TPK did not meet the level of supply expected by Apple, prompting the Mac maker to shift orders to Wintek, another one of the company’s part suppliers. According to a report by the DigiTimes, it was issues at Wintek that actually caused the initial delay of the iPad. Softpedia readers may remember that Apple’s tablet device was originally scheduled for a March release to the public.

An AppleInsider report chimes in with information regarding Wintek’s activity, outlining that the display manufacturer previously focused on small- to medium-size LCD panels. The company’s plants have shifted focus towards touch-panels, the report reveals. Wintek is eager to expand its capacity and is expected to successfully handle the iPad orders placed by Apple.

In related news, Apple’s previously unavailable iPad Camera Connection Kit can now be purchased by those looking to download photos from their digital cameras, directly to their iPad. Although not physically available until late April, customers can now at least secure their own unit, by placing a pre order for the $29 accessory.

“With the iPad Camera Connection Kit, it's incredibly easy to download photos from your digital camera to your iPad so you can view them on the gorgeous iPad display and share them with family and friends,” Apple’s description of the product goes. The kit includes two connectors, each sporting a different interface. One of them, the Camera Connector, features a USB interface that allows users to just plug it into the dock connector port on their iPad, and attach their digital camera or iPhones using a USB cable (which Apple doesn’t include). The second connector provides an interface for SD cards. It acts as a card reader that allows for the rapid importing of photos directly from the storage unit.

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Current shipping dates for iPad pre-orders (screenshot from Apple's online store)
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