March 8, 2010 – On Sunday, Oscar viewers were treated to a taste of fruitful things to come, with the debut of a previously unannounced Apple iPad commercial. Even though only a little more than twelve hours may have passed since it aired, people may consider this old news. Why, then, is it still significant for anything other than entertainment purposes?
(Click to see it again, on the Official Apple YouTube Channel.)
Well, if the rumors are correct, Apple’s release date for the iPad may have slipped. The US release is still officially scheduled for April 3, 2010, with preordering available via the Apple Store, beginning on March 12, 2010. According to reports, though, the UK release date has already been pushed back until later in the month.
Speculation, at first, centered on shortages or late deliveries from third party harware suppliers. Chinese manufacturers, though, insist they have remained on schedule. That leaves only the software side of the iPad in doubt.
If Apple has had problems preparing production model versions of the software, they have remained normally tight-lipped about it. If history is any indicator, Apple may ultimately end up releasing the product and quickly follow with a significant software update for those who do preorder the product.
This possibility may scare some potential consumers into waiting for a version that is confirmed as stable. Worse, still, any speculation of delays could negatively affect Apple stock prices, which received anticipatory gains, following the tablet’s official debut by Apple.
Sadly, Apple developers have had more than a year to ensure the only portion they directly control, the modification of the existing iPhone operating system. Hopefully, the rumors are untrue, and Apple is ready to go. Otherwise, the iPad’s launch may be a little less celebrated than they had hoped.
