Apple has confirmed that its second-generation tablet the Apple iPad 2 will not launch in the UK until 5pm this Friday, March 25th.

The company issued a statement to T3, stating that: "There has been no delay in the on sale time of iPad 2 and the 5pm launch in the UK and across Europe is exactly the same as it was in the US."

However, the news follows weeks of rumours around delays to the iPad 2 UK launch date. 

Apple has issued an official press release stating: “Apple today announced that iPad 2, the second-generation of its third post-PC device, will go on sale in 25 additional countries this Friday, March 25. iPad 2 will be available at Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorised Resellers at 5 p.m. local time.”

Although officially a strategic decision, sellers have been less sanguine. Robert Peckham, former executive director of the Mac Technology Association reseller group earlier leaked the 5pm arrival declaring third party retailers such as Carphone Warehouse are being forced by Apple to hold their already present stocks of the iPad 2 until the new 5pm launch time. He added retailers will have to “squeeze an entire day of sales in to one or two hours on a Friday evening.”

The official Apple confirmation came just hours after T3.com spoke to staff at Apple’s flagship London store on Regents Street who confirmed to us that stocks of the iPad 2 would be available to consumers when doors open at 9am.

As well as confirming the short term delay on the iPad 2, Apple’s release officially unveiled that those eager to snap up the dual camera, dual-core processor bragged slimmed down tablet will be able to order it online from 1pm on Friday. Stock levels for the UK launch of the iPad 2 are currently unknown but due to high demand in the US and issues with production following the Japanese earthquake, supplies are expected to be short lived.

Will the half day delay on the iPad 2 launch effect your plans of queuing up for the device on launch day? Let us know via the T3 Twitter and Facebook feeds.

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Apple iPad 2: Unboxing

Source: T3 Tech Videos
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