iPad Most Expensive in Europe

Britain and Europe is the world’s most expensive places to buy a new tablet computer Apple Inc., iPad, with prices ranging from a quarter higher than in the United States, according to a new study.

While expensive tablets that must be sold at the same prices globally by adjusting exchange rate, Australian Index CommSec iPad find big savings for Europeans who traveled to Asia, the United States, even Down Under.

“In the UK, Germany, France and Italy iPad prices 20-25 percent more expensive than in America,” said Craig James, chief economist at CommSec share trading division of Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

“The question is whether the price of Apple products are too high for the European market, or whether British pounds currency and the euro has depreciated to bring into the ranks of top global prices.”

CommSec is a modern index for long-term variations Big Mac index compiled by the Economist magazine to compare prices iPads in 10 countries including Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Britain, Japan, Australia and Canada.

Cheapest price for the WiFi versions ranging from 499 in the United States dollar equivalent of 620 dollars in Britain for the entry-level 16-gigabyte model. Canada (520 dollars), Japan (536 dollars) and Australia (533 dollars).

At the top, 64GB iPad model with WiFi and 3G connectivity sells for 829 dollars in the United States dollar compared to 1010 in Britain and 980 dollars in Germany, France and Italy.

This tablet device, said CommSec, which theoretically differentiate pricing across the world lies in the cost of shipping and local taxes.

But the high national debt in Europe and Britain has been rocked euros and pounds the last few months that impact hurled him into the global currency turmoil.

“Overall, the index shows the CommSec iPod iPad and the U.S. dollar should strengthen against other major currencies, particularly against the euro and the pound sterling,” said James.

Apple fans swarmed stores in Europe and Asia for iPad sold outside the United States, some buyers wait in line all night just to get an iPad.

The device is smaller than regular notebook computers, color touch screen, designed to surf the Web, watching movies and reading has also been praised by several industry publications as a potential affordable price, according to Reuters.

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