Apple Blames Demand for iPad's International Delay

Apple iPad story updated with the latest stock price.

CUPERTINO, Calif. (TheStreet) -- It's the crazy demand, not the bungled supply, that will delay the iPad's global conquest, according to Apple (AAPL).

Apple says it will delay the international launch of its iPad tablet device for a month due to supply shortages.

The Mac maker says it has sold a half million iPads in the first week since the device's debut on April 3. But due to the strong U.S. demand and hefty pre-orders of 3G iPads, Apple said it's forced to delay the introduction of the iPad overseas.

"Faced with this surprisingly strong U.S. demand, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the international launch of iPad by one month, until the end of May," Apple said in a press release Wednesday.

Toshiba: Getting Ahead of the Market (Forbes)

Sounds like a raging success, unless you consider that Apple has reportedly again switched its iPad touch-panel suppliers in recent weeks, leaving the company possibly ill-prepared to supply the entire initial rush of iPad buyers.

So instead of finding fault with its own production management, Apple turned the table and blamed the robust demand for the device.

The countless international buyers waiting for their shot at the iPad will likely be disappointed by the delay, said Apple. "But we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason -- the iPad is a runaway success in the U.S. thus far," the company added in its release.

The upbeat spin on iPad delays abroad and the thin air at Apple's lofty levels helped push the shares up more than $3 to a new all-time high of $245.51 in early trading Wednesday. But by the afternoon, Apple shares had retreated slightly to $245.30.

--Written by Scott Moritz in New York

RELATED STORIES

>>Apple iPhone's Big Picture

>>New Focus for Apple iPhone: Exclusive

>>Apple's Future in Advertising