The highly coveted iPad 2 went on sale in 25 countries on Friday, and sources say Apple's updated tablet is already sold out in many countries.
Apple has not confirmed the reports, but it said recently that "demand for the next generation iPad 2 has been amazing. We are working hard to get iPad 2 into the hands of every customer who wants one as quickly as possible."
A report in the Telegraph UK said the paper had been calling Apple stores in the UK and hadn't been able to find a retail location with an iPad 2 in stock. "Country-wide, you won't get one," one Apple staffer from London's Covent Garden store told the paper.
Retail store employees are recommending that iPad-hunters reserve the device online so they can pick it up in-store when it becomes available.
Brian White, a senior research analyst with Ticonderoga Securities, found similar results. "Our checks at Apple stores in international markets highlight a continuation of the iPad 2 stock out phenomenon found in the U.S. over the past couple of weeks, however, we believe the U.S. stores received greater volume levels (i.e., per store) during the initial selling days," he said in a Monday note.
White said the iPad 2 was sold out within hours at Apple stores in Germany, the UK, Paris, Zurich, Toronto, and Barcelona.
Mobile Burn also said the iPad 2 is sold out in Paris and stores in Canada.
"While competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, we've changed the game again with iPad 2," Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, said last week in a statement. "We're experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the U.S., 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."
Although Apple hasn't released initial sales numbers for the iPad 2, that information should be revealed soon; Apple's second fiscal quarter closed out over the weekend.
Strong international sales aren't much of a surprise, considering analysts estimate Apple sold around half a million iPad 2s the first weekend the device hit U.S. stores.