In a statement that would reassure the investors eager to gauge the consumers’ response to the much-awaited tablet computer, Apple recently said that the Wi-Fi version of its forthcoming iPad will hit the US stores on Saturday, April 3 – with the 3G-enabled version to come about a month later, as per the original timeline given by the company.

Meanwhile, customers in Australia, Japan, France, Germany, and other countries will have to wait till April end for the iPad’s launch.

The Cupertino, California-based company also said that US customers keen to reserve the iPad in advance can pre-order the device - both the Wi-Fi and the 3G models, priced in the range of between $499 and $829– on the company’s Web site from March 12 onwards.

While Apple also specified that the 3G wireless service for the iPad – which the company claims is a “magical and revolutionary” product - in the US will be provided by AT&T, its exclusive domestic-carrier partner for the popular iPhone; an AT&T spokesman stated that the device will not be sold in AT&T stores.

There have been no official details from Apple about either the number of iPad units to be available at the launch or about whether the company is planning any launch event for the iPad, similar to the iPhone’s launch event almost three years back.