Apple will have some big name retail backup on March 11th, the scheduled launch date for Apple’s second-generation tablet, the iPad 2.
On Thursday, both Best Buy and Walmart updated their online product pages to reflect the forthcoming launch of the iPad 2. It is believed that Best Buy and Walmart will begin carrying the iPad 2 from its first day of availability, which is one week from Friday.
Although Walmart has not yet confirmed its widely anticipated iPad 2 in-store availability for Match 11th, Best Buy has. Shortly after the first-generation iPad was introduced, many will recall, Best Buy joined Apple almost immediately in providing a new distribution channel for the popular touchscreen tablet.
Walmart didn’t begin stocking the iPad until last October.
Still, expectations are high for the launch of Apple’s second-generation tablet, and it’s clear that Apple wants to milk the initial push for all its worth with some help from the retail giants with which Apple has done no shortage of business during the last twelve months.
Unveiled yesterday, the iPad 2 delivers several key refreshed features, like a front-facing camera for live FaceTime video chats and a rear camera for video. The tablet itself is substantially thinner and lighter than its predecessor. And the new A5 chip, dual processor will make the iPad 2 the fastest tablet in the world.