After hitting US store shelves on March 11, Apple’s second-generation tablet, the iPad 2, is going on sale in a total of 25 countries on Friday.

In Australia and New Zealand, hundreds of Apple fans queued before stores several hours ahead of the device’s official launch at 5pm on Friday.

In the UK also, people who have thirst for the latest & most exciting technology, started queuing before store hours before the ipad 2’s official launch.

Speaking on the popularity of the Apple products, marketing firm Wunderman’s CEO Brenden Tansey said, "Apple don't mind the consumer being in love with them. They wouldn't want [queues] every day, but to have it as an event, where the public are saying we value this product so highly.”

The 117g-iPad 2, which is thinner & lighter than the original iPad, comes equipped with a 9.7-inch screen, a faster processor and two cameras- one at the front for video chatting and another at the rear.

The Apple iPad 2 starts with a price tag of $499.