Apple will be unveiling the iPad HD (or, iPad 3) in two short days at an event set for March 7th at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. As has been the case with other iDevices in the past, Apple plans to have the iPad HD up for sale very soon after its announced, and is rapidly working to get these devices shipped out around the world to be ready for launch day, and is once again reaping a bit of havoc on local businesses hoping to export things to the US.
Apple is clearly anticipating the iPad HD being a huge success, and is shipping hundreds of thousands (or more) units to be available from day 1. This rush to shipment has created some shipping delays from other exporters in China, according to reports by MacRumors and AppleInsider. MacRumors has heard reports from several different companies in China who are having a difficult time getting their shipments sent over to the United States, as Apple’s iPad HD shipments are overwhelming the air freight industry.
The sudden increase in outbound freight has allowed shipping carriers to charge businesses a premium for the small amount of non-iPad space they have in their shipping schedules, with one company reporting increases to the tune of 20% over the previous week’s rates. AppleInsider confirms this price increase, specifically calling out DHL, which has a “massive” air freight deal with Apple on the iPad HD.
Many of us tech geeks are planning on picking up the iPad HD shortly after launch, as well as about 30% of mobile web users, and are happy that Apple has ramped up the shipments ahead of this week’s unveiling. Business in China who depend on exports to the United States, on the other hand, are none too happy with this news, and likely feel that April can’t come soon enough.
[via MacRumors, AppleInsider]