How Soon Will the iPad 2 Ship? [Updated]

Assuming Apple does as expected and uncrates the successor to the iPad at its special event next Wednesday, how long will it be before it actually ships?

Not long at all, say supply chain sources, who tell Barclays that the iPad 2 will likely arrive at market in April, just like its predecessor. Evidently, its design and specifications were finalized earlier this month and it’s headed into manufacturing now. Barclays analyst Kirk Yang expects iPad 2 shipments to start in early April, with two million units for that month.

“The April shipment time frame (vs. the earlier market expectation of small shipments in March) is primarily due to production line setup and training, and not likely due to any product re-design,” he says. “None of the component suppliers suggest any type of re-designs nor delays.”

Like most everyone else, Barclays expects the iPad 2 to be faster, thinner and lighter and outfitted with cameras and FaceTime support. Its unit shipment forecast for the device: 28.8 million for fiscal 2011 and 40 million for fiscal 2012.

UPDATE: AppleInsider posits an even earlier ship date for iPad 2: shortly after the Wednesday event at which it’s to be announced.

http://twitter.com/murphymac MurphyMac

I thought it would be quicker than April. Like almost immediately.

The iPhone 4, black, shipped less than 3 weeks after it was announced. The white one seems to be taking a little longer.
Anonymous

Surely it will be immediate availability, or they would have held the announcement in April. To do otherwise is to mess up the third-month (March) of FQ2 sales. They’ll never do a dumb thing like that.
http://www.gadginator.com Dunnion

Well, assuming it still needs to get through the FCC since nothing has been leaked about it, it can’t be an immediate launch, but it seems that a whole month seems like a long time.
KenG

I would think it would be available immediately, otherwise sales of the ipad would slow to a crawl for a month or so. Unless the ipad2 isn’t that much different than the first gen, or they lower the price of it. Say ipad1 for $349 – that’s going to kill sales of the xoom and those Atom-based tablets that will allegedly ship by the end of March.
http://www.bigjobsboard.com/ Brad Jobs

Can’t wait for this one. However, I think it would be much better if the iPad 2 will be released and be shipped as soon as possible like after 3 days or so. Please, do not let me suffer waiting. lol
Anonymous

Take my word. It will be immediate as in within a few days at the most. It has to be. Otherwise they would have waited past this quarter’s end to announce.
Anonymous

Apple can request the FCC hold off as they’ve always done..
Anonymous

Waiting a month to release just doesn’t make sense..business sense more importantly. Unless they shave the current iPad’s price right away and significantly, no one’s gonna want to buy it.
nick price

? iPad 2 may be available almost immediately
http://www.facebook.com/people/Tony-Mills/1099638671 Tony Mills

Anyone care to speculate on the “mini display port” listed actually being the new “ThunderBolt” connection?
http://twitter.com/aace234 Aik Lariosa

get me some of that already, excited to try out some apps in it, like the time tracking app from tsheets, and all the other cool stuff out there. I think they are really creating a following before they show it.
Anonymous

If it has a Mini DisplayPort, it will be Thunderbolt. No doubt at all.
Anonymous

I have like 5 or 6 friends who don’t have iPads who have already decided to buy an iPad 2. Apple can’t ship it soon enough for them. The original iPad was made by a small team working in secret, but iPad 2 will be from the whole company, so it is going to be a very interesting product. I absolutely love my iPad. It has become a book that I just always have with me. The music and art apps are spectacular. Netflix and Hulu and iTunes are more TV and movies than I need. There is a paper notebook app called Penultimate that replaced my paper notebook. If we didn’t have iPad, we would have to invent it. It’s so timely.
Anonymous

John, I have to get my hands on what just might be the greatest graphic in the history of the web…… yes I am prone to exaggeration, but I am serious about my request – any chance you can point me toward the source of the HommerPad 2 graphic?

Thanks,
David Garon
CEO/President
DIGITAL INK CORPORATION
Offices:
MN / NV / NY / CA / CO USA
Israel / China / France / Holland
England / Finland
http://www.remionline.org Remi Online

well…worth the read. keep it up

How Soon Will the iPad 2 Ship? [Updated]

comments so far. Add yours.

AllThingsD by Writer