iPad 2 on sale 5pm on Friday – report

UPDATE: Apple has told Eurogamer it is yet to make an announcement on timing.

ORIGINAL STORY: The earliest you'll be able to buy an iPad 2 in the UK will be 5pm on Friday, according to a new report.

If true, those who had hoped to queue to get their hands on the Apple device first thing in the morning will be disappointed.

The mini delay will no doubt cause a mad rush as shops frantically deal with customer transactions in the few trading hours left open to them.

Robert Peckham, former executive director of the Mac Technology Association reseller group, told PCR the delay was caused by a mistake in shipments.

The UK launch of the iPad 2 was rumoured to have suffered a delay following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan.

But Apple told Eurogamer yesterday "we've nothing new to announce" - suggesting the iPad 2 will, as its UK website says, launch on Friday 25th March.

We've contacted Apple for comment on this latest rumour.

Infinity Blade developer Chair Entertainment described the iPad 2 as a "a game-changer" to Eurogamer.

"They've significantly increased the processing power of the iPad 2 and also added a lot more memory," said creative director Donald Mustard. "Now having 512 megs of memory, the new processing power and increased screen resolution allows us to throw so much more processing at the applications.

"With Infinity Blade we felt we were really pushing at the edge of what can be done. We think this is another leap. It's significant."