Walmart will begin selling Apple’s iPad tablet computers online this Friday, and in more than 2,300 of its retail stores by mid-November.
“We’re pleased to give customers access to one of the most sought-after consumer electronics products this year,” a spokesman for the retailer said in an interview with the AFP news agency.
The Arkansas-based retail chain will sell the iPads for the same prices offered at Apple’s retail and online shops. The lowest-priced iPad costs $499, while the top model is priced at $829.
Walmart rivals Best Buy and Target, along with online retailer Amazon.com, are already selling the iPad, which Apple launched in April.
Shares of Apple’s stock approached a record peak of $300 on Tuesday, rising $3.18 (1.08 percent), to close at $298.54.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company sold 3.3 million iPads in the first quarter it was available, nearly triple the number of iPhones sold in the first full quarter they became available in 2007.
A few other factors are boosting investors’ sentiment for Apple. The company is planning a big push in the Chinese market, with 25 retail stores expected to open there by the end of next year. There are also hopes the new lineup of iPods, which Apple unveiled in September, will be a popular during the upcoming holiday shopping season.
Investors may also be anticipating that Verizon Wireless will soon get its own version of the iPhone next year. The iPhone is currently available only on AT&T Inc.’s network within the United States.
Apple is set to report its quarterly results next Monday. The company’s forecast is for net income of $3.44 per share, although Apple is well known for beating its own guidance by a comfortable margin. Analysts are expecting net income of $4.05 per share, representing a growth of about 46 percent.
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