Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) may have postponed iPad’s international roll-out by a month – but, within an hour of that announcement, all three UK iPhone carriers released identical statements declaring they “will offer dedicated iPad price plans for all models from the end of May”.
— Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) will offer plans in Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK
— O2 in the UK only. Update: O2 later said German tariffs, too, and in Spain via parent Telefonica.
— Orange will offer plans in France, UK, Spain and Switzerland.
We have asked T-Mobile. 3 UK told us it won’t be offering iPad plans and Apple isn’t naming any carriers. Update: T-Mobile tells us: “Discussions continue between the relevant parties regarding the distribution of Apple and T-Mobile UK’s products and services. Updates will be provided as and when it is pertinent to do so.”
Nobody’s confirming pricing or other details yet. Those details will be given in a further announcement on May 10, along with iPad’s pushed-back international pre-order date and pricing announcement, according to a Vodafone spokesperson, who also told us retail “will all be through Apple” and “the arrangement is the same as in the States with AT&T”.
These are the first iPad carrier announcements outside the U.S., where AT&T (NYSE: T) offers two, month-by-month rolling price plans for the yet-to-ship-there 3G model.
Though the device is delayed, the international 3G announcements may be coming quicker than expected. Announcing iPad in January, Steve Jobs had said: “We hope to have our international deals in place in June/July time – we