It was Jan 27, when Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the much talked about device, the iPad, in front of the chanting audience who were already at fever pitch at the event held at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. The announcement received thunderous applause from the crowd for what he claimed to be the most important thing he has ever done in his life. Here came April 3, another big day for Apple to launch and sell out its most talked about device through pre-orders and through retail stores in USA. With $20 discount on each gadget, a concessional package for educational institutions was also offered by Apple to promote iPad among the student community.

Image Credit Gizmodo

On Monday morning, Apple announced that it has sold out over 300K iPads in the US on the first day of sales, including deliveries of pre-ordered iPads to customers, deliveries to channel partners and sales at Apple Retail Stores. In addition, iPad users downloaded over one million apps from the App Store and 250K e-books from the iBookstore right on the first day, the April 3. Steve Jobs puts it in yet another interesting way:

iPad users, on average, downloaded more than three apps and close to one book within hours of unpacking their new iPad.

These numbers are huge and fantastic, and matches the wild predictions floating on the web for some time. This is what Steve Jobs says on this amazing success of Apple:

It feels great to have the iPad launched into the world—it’s going to be a game changer. iPad users, on average, downloaded more than three apps and close to one book within hours of unpacking their new iPad.

Congrats to Apple on this great and successful launch, stretching the iPhone OS beyond what many couldn’t even imagine. The pre launch and launching phases, both were great but let’s see what happens now, in the Post-launch arena.

By all calculations, Apple and Steve Jobs had a strong first day and were successful in putting lot many Americans in the queue. Howevre, it is premature and a bit too early to say whether users have like iPad or not; only time will decide.   [Via Gizmodo]