iPad 2 stock sells out in USA; will worldwide launch dates be delayed?

Apple’s iPad 2 has had an incredibly successful launch, according to figures gathered by Bloomberg.

Speaking to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, Bloomberg have revealed that Apple, Target and Best Buy have all sold out of their stock of iPad 2s, shifting an estimated 500,000 units during the opening weekend of sales. It fares remarkably well compared with the launch of the iPad 1, which sold 300,000 units in its first day on sale, proving the iPad form factor is still as “magical” and coveted by gadget fans a year later.

However, this success has lead to a backlog of orders stateside, with shipping delays of 3-4 weeks expected whilst Apple try to keep up with the high-volume of orders across the pond.

This doesn’t bode well for the worldwide launch dates for the iPad 2. Apple have yet to take orders for the iPad 2 in the UK, which is due to hit stores on the 25th of March. Considering similar demand overwhelmed Apple last year for the original iPad, causing severe setbacks to the tablet’s worldwide launch, should we be bracing ourselves for another bout of delays for Apple’s latest toy?

Here’s hoping they’ve learnt from their mistakes last year and stockpiled a dedicated allowance for worldwide territories, and don’t dip into it to fulfill the already-finalised orders of their American customers.