iPad 2 shipping times slip again, this time to 3-4 weeks

When Apple started selling the iPad 2 online early yesterday morning, shipping times were within 3-5 days. Within hours, those same shipping times slipped to a long 2-3 weeks. Now, just over 24 hours since the iPad went on sale, iPad 2 shipping times from the online Apple Store are now sitting at 3-4 weeks. This applies to both the Wi-Fi and 3G models.

Given the massive lines from last night, and the fact that many people went home without being able to get an iPad (or the one they wanted), I'm not at all surprised that the shipping dates have been delayed again. What did surprise me was the length of the lines at my local Apple Store when I arrived last night. At the mall I was at, the iPad 2 line literally wrapped half-way around the building.

Despite the now 3-4 week shipping delay, all signs are pointing to an exceptionally stellar launch of the iPad 2, and I'm sure we are going to be reading a press release from Apple come Monday that states a stratospheric number of iPad 2s have already been sold.