AT&T to Carry 3G-Capable iPad in Stores?

Boy Genius Report claims to have received information from a source at AT&T claiming that the company will be offering the Wi-Fi+3G models of Apple's iPad for sale in its stores. According to the report, AT&T will be dedicating substantial display space to the forthcoming device.

One of our AT&T connects down south just hit us up with some pretty interesting info... According to them, AT&T stores will be selling the 3G version of the Apple iPad, complete with built-in display. We're told that the general plan is to convert one or two existing netbook display sections in each corporate AT&T location into a pretty substantial iPad display area.

Apple has not yet offered information about what retail channels will be available for iPad distribution. While the device will obviously be carried in Apple's own online and retails stores, the iPad could easily be carried by third-party retailers such as Best Buy and AT&T.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs noted during the iPad's introduction late last month that 3G service for capable iPad models can be activated directly on the device due to the contract-less prepaid data plan being offered by AT&T in the United States, simplifying distribution by not requiring purchasers to interface with AT&T's systems to enable service while at the point of sale. AT&T would of course be well-served by offering the 3G iPad models in its own locations as a means to spur customers to sign up for the carrier's data service.