Apple iPad UK price much higher than US
Steve Jobs says VAT and taxes push up iPad prices in UK
By Daniel Ionescu | PC World | Published: 16:39, 11 May 2010
Apple has started taking advance orders in international markets for for the iPad, so that eager overseas buyers can get their hands on the much-hyped tablet. The international iPad is launching simultaneously in Wi-Fi and 3G models, but it won't come cheap - prices are slightly bumped over their US counterparts.
The international prices for the iPad have been subject to speculation through late last week, but with the pre-orders pages up on Monday, official pricing details have been revealed for UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland. The iPad will arrive on 28 May in these countries.
After almost two months of waiting for the iPad to arrive, UK customers are now complaining about the inflated price some of them must pay for the tablet, compared to the US prices. The entry-level 16GB Wi-Fi-only iPad costs £429 in the UK, which equates to almost $150 more than in the US. In Canada, the price difference is of almost $40 for this model, while in the Euro currency area, the difference can reach $150 as well.
Related Articles on Techworld
Steve Jobs replies
With angry customers emailing him over the US-international price differences, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has once again taken to his iPhone to respond to complaints. Jobs reportedly said in an email to an obfuscated UK customer that he needs to educate himself, explaining that UK prices must by law include VAT (17.5 percent), while US price do not include tax - hence the difference.
In another case, in Germany, where users discovered that iPad prices are higher than in other European countries, Jobs reportedly told a disgruntled customer to blame his government, as Germany just added a new copyright levy for computers. Jobs later revealed in an email that the German iPad won't be more expensive than in France or Italy, after he found out the tablet is not subject to the German copyright tax.
The iPad will be rolled out in July for Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore; availability in nine more countries is due to be announced at a later date.
Will you buy an iPad in the UK at these current prices?
