Apple Continues iPad Retail Sales Expansion with Best Buy Sept. 26 Announcement

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Photo by el frijole - http://flic.kr/p/2fxBMZ
Photo by el frijole - http://flic.kr/p/2fxBMZ

Now that supply problems which bediviled Apple’s iPad launch are history, the touch-screen tablet will appear on the shelves of all 1,093 U.S. Best Buy stores on September 26. The announcement is just the latest push by Apple to get its new product in front of U.S. consumers. Tuesday, an unconfirmed report suggested the iPad would appear in Target stores October 3.

Best Buy shoppers received just a taste of the iPad when the device appeared at 673 Best Buy locations with Apple Shops. This latest announcement includes all stores owned by the electronics retail giant, which will sell the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G iPad versions. In a Tuesday announcement, a Best Buy executive noted today’s shoppers aren’t satisfied with looking at a picture or reading a review of personal electronics.


“Technology is becoming more personal, and our customers say they really value visiting a Best Buy store to touch and try the iPad for themselves,” Wendy Fritz, a Best Buy senior vice president of computing, said. CEO Brian Dunn believes the iPad, and other tablets, will be “big for us during the holidays.”

Speaking of holidays, an iPad with the FaceTime video camera may appear just in time for retailers such as Best Buy. According to a rumor published earlier this week, a FaceTime -enabled second-generation iPad will appear “no later” than the first-quarter of 2011. That comment was taken to mean the new iPad could appear in time for the all-important holiday buying period.

Apple’s expanded push into retailing may be a counter against a similar thrust by Amazon.com, which hawks the Kindle e-reader. The single-purpose device will be sold at office retailer Staples this fall. The Kindle is also available at Target.

[AppleInsider]

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