The Apple iPad was officially launched in Israel today, after an eight-month delay. The price for a WiFi enabled 16-gigabit iPad is NIS 2,250, compared with NIS 2,406 in the UK and NIS 1,800 in the US. The 16-gigabit iPad with a cellular modem will cost NIS 2,850, compared with NIS 2,970 in the UK and NIS 2,270 in the US.
The iPad will be sold through Apple Inc's (Nasdaq: AAPL) Israeli representative iDigital Ltd., and through Office Depot Israel Ltd., not through the mobile carriers. Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) will be the official seller of an iPad Internet access package, including a special micro-SIM card. A 1-gigabit package will cost NIS 50 per month, a 5-gigabit package will cost NIS 100 per month, and an unlimited access package will cost NIS 150 per month.
The iPad will not be restricted to Partner's Orange network, and the micro-SIM card will be able to access other carriers' networks Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) has already announced that it will market an Internet access package including a micro-SIM card. A 2-gigabit package will cost NIS 70 per month, and an unrestricted package will cost NIS 130 per month. The first month will be free, and no commitments are required by subscribers.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 21, 2010
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