14 DAY TRIAL // Several sources with ties to Apple have learned that the Cupertino company will kick off online sales of its second-generation iPad March 11th, at 12:01AM PT. Others have been able to confirm that the GSM version of the tablet will be sold mostly unlocked.
In what is believed to be a cautionary move to prevent FedEx from shipping iPad 2 units before March 11, Apple is allowing customers to order their new tablet as early as one minute past March 10 midnight.
Shipment is free and is expected to take no longer than 24 hours from the time of the purchase.
To pick one up in store, Apple says you have to be there at 5:00 p.m. on March 11. Die hard fans are already camping out in front of their local stores from what we’re hearing.
Other reports indicate that the GSM version of the iPad 2 will be sold unlocked in most territories. Apple makes a CDMA-capable model as well, for Verizon customers, and the tablet ships in white and black variants.
Though the territories where the ‘unlocked’ sales will apply are not specified, but the sources throw in another tidbit - the location of the SIM card slot on the super-slim iPad 2.
According to people who have come into contact with the tablet computer, the SIM card slot is located on the top-left of the device, in accordance with some early case designs leaked by accessory manufacturers.
Following its U.S. debut in a few days from now, the iPad 2 will ship in over a dozen more territories later this month.
Apple officially stated on March 2 that iPad 2 will be available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK on March 25.
The tablet will become available in many more countries around the world in the months to follow.