iPad 2 coming to Singapore and “other countries” in April

Apple has just issued a press statement to announce the iPad 2 making its debut in 25 additional countries this Friday March 25. That’s nothing new. We knew this at the iPad 2 keynote early this month.

What is a big deal is that in the same press statement Apple has announced that all versions of the iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April

We can’t confirm anything right now but we have a bloody strong feeling that “additional countries” mean one of them is Malaysia.

Any Apple junkie in Malaysia will recall that the original iPad was launched in Singapore on July 23 2010, three months after it was officially announced in the US and a good four months ahead of the original iPad’s Malaysian launch in November 2010.

We feel that it is very safe to assume that the Malaysian launch lead time for the iPad 2 will be much less that the original iPad. So are we looking at an April launch date for the iPad 2 in Malaysia? It’s possible. If not May or early June the latest.

In terms of pricing, the Australian iPad 2 prices have been revealed as follows:

• iPad 2 Black 16GB – Wi-Fi A$579.00 (approx RM1765)
• iPad 2 Black 32GB – Wi-Fi A$689.00 (approx RM2101)
• iPad 2 Black 64GB – Wi-Fi A$799.00 (approx RM2436)
• iPad 2 Black 16GB – Wi-Fi + 3G A$729.00 (approx RM2223)
• iPad 2 Black 32GB – Wi-Fi + 3G A$839.00 (approx RM2558)
• iPad 2 Black 64GB – Wi-Fi + 3G A$949.00 (approx RM2894)

The above prices are inclusive of 10% GST which can be refunded when taken out from the country within a certain period of time.

Head on over to after the jump for Apple’s official press release.

iPad 2 Arrives in 25 More Countries This Friday
Available in Hong Kong, Korea & Singapore in April

CUPERTINO, California—March 22, 2011—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 Authorized Resellers at 5 p.m. local time, and online through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) beginning at 1 a.m. Apple today also announced that all models of iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April.

“While competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, we’ve changed the game again with iPad 2,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’re experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the US, and customers around the world have told us they can’t wait to get their hands on it. We appreciate everyone’s patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone.”

iPad 2 features an entirely new design that is 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter than the original iPad, while maintaining the same stunning 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD screen. iPad 2 features Apple’s new dual-core A5 processor for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics and now includes two cameras, a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime® and Photo Booth®, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video, bringing the innovative FaceTime feature to iPad users for the first time. Though it is thinner, lighter, faster and packed with new features, iPad 2 still delivers up to 10 hours of battery life* that users have come to expect.

Pricing & Availability
iPad 2 with Wi-Fi will be available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK on March 25 for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, $699 (US) the 64GB model. iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G will be available for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April, and in many more countries around the world in the coming months. Further international availability and pricing will be announced at a later date.

iMovie® and GarageBand® for iPad apps are available for $4.99 (US) each from the App Store℠ on iPad or www.itunes.com/appstore. The Smart Cover is available in a range of colors in vibrant polyurethane for $39 (US) or rich leather for $69 (US).

*Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.