A number of MacRumors readers have reported that Apple has placed preauthorization holds on their credit card accounts for iPad pre-orders placed earlier this month. The holds represent a check to ensure that sufficient credit is available for the pending transactions as Apple prepares to begin shipping out iPad orders.
Interestingly, customers are seeing preauthorization holds placed on their credit card accounts for both Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + 3G iPad orders. The Wi-Fi + 3G iPad models are not scheduled to become available until "late April", and it is unclear why Apple has initiated the transaction process for those orders so early. Wi-Fi-only models are scheduled to launch on April 3rd.
