Middle East retailers prepare for iPad 3 unveiling

Electronics retailers in the Middle East are preparing for the launch of Apple’s iPad 3 device, which is set to be unveiled in the US today. The technology powerhouse’s previous iteration of the tablet computer, which was released in March 2011, is said to haves shipped millions of units worldwide. No specifications of the new device have yet been confirmed, but fervent speculation suggests the iPad 3 will feature a higher resolution camera, a faster processor and super-fast LTE connectivity. One UAE-based electronics outlet, Jacky’s, says that it is anticipating massive consumer demand for the iPad 3 when it goes on sales. “Despite the difficult economy in the past two years, customers were willing to pay a premium for [the] iPad,” COO Ashish Panjabi wrote in a comment emailed to Arabian Business.   Panjabi said he expected that Apple and its supply chain will find it difficult to manufacture enough devices to fulfil demand. “In our experience, during the initial launch of iPad and iPad 2, these products were sold out nearly as soon as they reached our outlets, and we expect that the iPad 3 will be in the same scenario,” he added. “It has always been a case of demand outstripping supply as far as iPads [are concerned], whereas most of Apple's competitors have been struggling to create enough demand for their tablets.” In the run-up to the iPad 3’s announcement, media reports have suggested that Apple may slash the price of the existing iPad 2 models, which start at US$499. The company's other products include the iPhone smartphone and the iPod personal music player.