Apple iPad 2 to go on sale online first

Consumers can start buying the iPad 2 on Apple's website at 4 a.m. ET on Friday while customers who want to purchase it in a store will have to wait until 5 p.m. (2200 GMT) that day, Apple said.

Apple's retail partners for the first iPad - Best Buy, Target and Wal-Mart Stores - will also start selling the iPad 2 at the same time.

Carrier partners AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless will also sell the device. Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group Plc, just started selling Apple's iPhone last month.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)