During its earnings call with analysts, Apple spokesmen CFO Peter Oppenheimer and COO Tim Cook were bullish about iPad sales but refused to reveal any more numbers other than the more than 500,000 announced when the company delayed the international launch.

"We had high hopes but it [iPad launch] exceeded them," said Oppenheimer.

"It far exceeded our expectations. We were shocked by US demand," said Cook during the call.

Giving it away

Pressed on specifics by analysts - particularly over the mix of expected Q3 iPad volumes versus the device's margins during the next financial quarter - it was explained that Apple had been "very aggressive" in terms of iPad pricing to gain first mover advantage within a tablet market that the company expects to be huge.

Indeed, such is the level of subsidy that the company expects to see its revenue and margins drop slightly during the next three months as iPad sales ramp up with its international roll out into nine countries during May.