Just six months after the iPads first hit the electronics market, Apple is finally starting to make the world’s most popular tablet more readily available. While the iPad has been available to purchase from Best Buys around the country for quite a while now, on November 7th they will also be available in all 135 active Best Buy Mobile stores. In addition, Best Buy is expected to launch another 23 mobile stores before Thanksgiving and those stores will also be stocking the iPad as well.
What’s the difference between the regular Best Buy stores and the Best Buy Mobiles you ask? Basically the Best Buy Mobiles are smaller versions of the chain that are usually housed inside of malls as opposed to having their own building. The stock in a Best Buy Mobile store is also smaller, and centers on mobile devices like MP3 players and cell phones.
One of the reasons Apple is suddenly allowing more stores to carry the iPad may be that many, many competitors are about to hit store shelves. Business numbers have shown that at the moment, the iPad is dominating sales, with Android Tablet sales coming in a very distant second. The one way that trend could switch quickly is if it is suddenly easier to find other products than it is to find the iPad.
In related news, the iOS 4.2 is due to be released any day now. The iOS 4.2 will update the OS of the iPad and while it has been rumored to be released sometime in November signs are pointing that the release will be sooner rather than later. One sign of imminent release is the fact that certain iPad apps are getting accepted with the Game Center add-on. The Game Center is not an option that is available on the current iPad operating system but it will be included in the iOS 4.2 release.