02-01-2010, 11:54 AM

When i first saw the iPad, my first reaction was i want one of those.

After doing some further investigating i have change my mind. The UK prices have not been released yet but the esitmates are below

Apple iPad UK release date & pricing info - Mac - Macworld UK

If you convert $499 to pounds it comes out at £315. The UK version may not have eBook store or 3G. Yet the UK has to pay more. In truth all this is, is a giant iPod Touch.

Anyon else have any views on the matter?

02-01-2010, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by tom1252

If you convert $499 to pounds it comes out at £315. The UK version may not have eBook store or 3G. Yet the UK has to pay more. In truth all this is, is a giant iPod Touch.

Anyon else have any views on the matter?

We have a bunch of members here on Mac-Forums from the UK...and it's pretty common knowledge that both new & used computers are more expensive in the UK. So converting US dollars to British pounds..and then saying that Apple products cost more in the UK than in the US is not new news to anyone!

It's too bad that this is the case...but maybe due to:

- volume of products sold in the UK (compared to the US)
- more expensive shipping from China
- additional taxes or higher taxes in the UK
- VAT taxes in the UK
- supply & demand

Also..in your post the term "may not" was used...which means you're relying on rumors for information. How about waiting until facts are available before getting too excited.

- Nick

02-01-2010, 12:22 PM

Ok here's the proof.

On the US Apple site for ipad features it has a section about the ibooks store. But on the UK and Australian sites on the ipad features page there is no mention of the ibooks feature.

And on the US and Australian ipad features page at the bottom it says "1. iBooks is available only in the U.S."

02-01-2010, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by the8thark

Ok here's the proof.

On the US Apple site for ipad features it has a section about the ibooks store. But on the UK and Australian sites on the ipad features page there is no mention of the ibooks feature.

And on the US and Australian ipad features page at the bottom it says "1. iBooks is available only in the U.S."

I think that the OP has more issues with the iPad in the UK than just the "iBook" availability!

The OP also was concerned that the iPad 3G would not be available in the UK...this link from the UK Apple Store clearly mentions iPad 3G availability in April:

http://www.apple.com/uk/ipad/

- Nick

02-01-2010, 12:45 PM

The point i was making is that the iPad is quite a bit more in the UK with less features. I would pay the US price with the UK features but i also thin the idea of the eBooks is very good and would not mind having that feature.

Any idea why its not avaliable in the UK or anywhere apart from the US?

02-01-2010, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by tom1252

Any idea why its not avaliable in the UK or anywhere apart from the US?

I think (just a theory) that Apple is in the process of establishing the whole "eBook business" and the "Apple eBook Store". Maybe Apple wants to:

- test the whole eBook Store concept in the United States first before expanding it to other countries.
- maybe it's simply a bunch of paperwork & the UK store just isn't setup yet.
- maybe there are a bunch of legal matters in the UK yet to be straightened out & finalized.

There are still another 60-90 days before the first iPads are supposed to start shipping. A lot can happen in 60-90 days!

- Nick

02-01-2010, 10:06 PM

I confess I'm surprised that our friend in the UK (hi!) doesn't seem to know that this is exactly how the iPod, iTunes, and the iPhone rolled out.

If he (or anyone) is inferring that iBooks will not be included on the iPad permanently, that is clearly wrong. But copyright laws in the UK, Canada and well, a lot of places outside the US are more complicated and require separate negotiation for each country, most of whom are far smaller markets than the US.

For example: I live in Canada. We *just* got a Kindle that works up here about three months ago. Apple being a US company and the US being a ginormous market whose laws Apple is familiar with, it entirely makes sense that iBooks and the iBookStore will first appear in the US.

Jobs referred specifically to carrier deals when he mentioned that the iPad would appear internationally in "June or July," but I'm sure they were also thinking of the iBook market as well.

In short, this is HARDLY the first time non-US people have had to wait a short while to get their hands on some new Apple goodies. Get used to it, I'm afraid -- I moved to Canada from the US and had a number of such changes to deal with.

PS. Pricing and such haven't been set in the UK or anywhere outside the US yet. As others have said, I wouldn't go making firm decisions a) based on rumours and b) with no actual product in anyone's hands, or official announcements and actual facts to go by yet.

02-04-2010, 05:12 PM

Sadly I think we will get screwed by Apple on exchange rates, as we always are.

On the other hand, Apple stuff is awesome. I suppose it might be even more awesome in the US, but there you go - you take what you can get.


As for the iPad, still undecided at present.

First thoughts - YES, I want one.

Second thoughts - it is just a large screen iTouch or iPhone (without 3G or with, respectively). It will be a lot more expensive over here. Also, it often unwise to buy the Mark I of anything.

Nevertheless, I still want one. It might just the equivalent of a Kindle DX, but I already have a Kindle2 and I am sorely tempted to buy a Kindle DX as well.

I am just a sucker for gadgets. The iPad might discourage me from buying a DX, but I am almost certain to buy one or the other.

Kindle Dx or iPad? No contest. So...... do we wait for a 3G one or just go for the WiFi one?



Edit - Bear in mind the Kindle has only just become available in the UK - and even that is from Amazon.com, not Amazon.co.uk - and with some eBooks not available outside the US and Canada. I expect the same will apply with iPad. There is no way that Apple can afford to restrict the eBooks to US/Canada, when the Kindle sells to UK as well.

02-04-2010, 05:42 PM

Its the UK in general who are ripping us off, wouldn't it be much better for the UK to become another state of the US. I for one would accept that with open arms.

That would also get over the copywrite issues.

02-04-2010, 06:50 PM

You can't do a straight comparison. Things seem to cost more in the UK but that's also because they're priced in relation to your purchasing power. A person making $50,000 in the US is the rough equivalent of someone making £50,000 in the UK, despite the two not being equal after conversion. If you didn't know how the US price converted, you would think the iPad price was completely reasonable.

As for why there is no books feature, Jobs said it during the keynote that they're still trying to work with publishers to make books and other print media available in international markets and it won't be available until the summer. So when the iPad comes out in late March, early April, people outside of the US won't have access to iBooks right away, they'll have to wait a few more months.