iPad prices cut in SA

With Apple’s announcement of the iPad 2.0 last week, the prices of all models of the first version have been cut in South Africa, by up to 11% per model. Read on for full pricing details ‚Ķ

The new iPad is not yet on the shelves, but it’s already pushed down the price of the old version.

Barely a month after releasing the first iPad in South Africa, the Core Group, official agents of Apple products (aside from the iPhone) in South Africa, have cut the list price on all models by up to 11% – a cut of R500 to R600, depending on the model.

In the United States, Apple stores have cut the prices of all first generation iPads by $100 ‚ just under R700 at current exchange rates.

‚Due to the announcement of iPad 2 internationally, we will be decreasing the pricing on the first generation model locally,‚ the Core Group said in a statement this morning.

The new pricing for the first generation model is as follows:

iPad Wi-Fi 16GB R3899 (old price R4399) ‚ 11% cut iPad Wi-Fi 32GB R4899 (old price R5399) ‚ 9% cut iPad Wi-Fi 64GB R5899 (old price R6399) ‚ 8% cut iPad Wi-Fi + 3G 16GB R4999 (old price R5599) ‚ 10.5% cut iPad Wi-Fi + 3G 32GB R5999 (old price R6599) ‚ 9% cut iPad Wi-Fi + 3G 64GB R6999 (old price R7599) ‚ 8% cut

The entry level 16GB Wi-Fi model gets the biggest proportional price cut ‚ 11% – while the 3G + Wi-Fi 16GB model comes close.

The price cuts have come despite no availability of the new version being announced for South Africa. However, it does suggest that the Core Group is paving the way for a far quicker release than for version 1, which took 9 months to arrive in South Africa after its US release.

The international release date of the iPad 2 is 25 March. Speculation is that it will arrive ‚ officially ‚ in South Africa before June. However, online store Have2have will have it available ‚ at a premium and without local support ‚ by the end of March.

The first generation units are available at the new prices from all iStores, Apple Premium Resellers (DigiCape and Project 3), and selected Incredible Connection and Dion Wired stores. Details at http://www.core.co.za