US iPad will not allow appstore app to work in UK

[shardie]

I'm in the US for a period of time and was going to buy an iPAD but was advised that the appstore app requires me to have a US billing address and that it wont work when I go back to the UK. Also advised that this can't be changed as it's part of the OS build for iPAD.

Find this hard to believe that I cant use the ipad I buy whilst in US when I return to UK.

Appreciate anyone who can confirm or refute what I am being advised.

many thanks

 

[SweetPoison]

There are a lot of UK members that have iPads. Read around the site and see what you can find.

 

[michali]

I find this difficult to believe. I have an account for each app store so I can switch from one to the other at will.

 

[PhotoJim]

The hardware is identical worldwide (the only thing that changes is the power plug, to have the appropriate pins for where you live).

 

[j0yful]

i dont believe it. maybe they could be referring to some apps that are not available in some country. but there's a fix for that. by creating a US account and another account of your country.

 

[Johan]

This problem was only true in the very beginning, when the iPad was only available in the USA. If you bought the iPad there, and tried to connect to your local iTunes Store, the iPad was not recognized as a valid device, because it wasn't available yet locally. Right now, you can simply buy an iPad in the USA and connect with it to your local iTunes Store (even when you are physically still in the USA). It will be recognized and there's no such thing as a 'USA only iPad'.

Another solution is to buy some iTunes giftcards in the USA as well. With those giftcards you can open a US account on iTunes, giving you access to options not available in other countries. That's what I did when I bought my iPad in New York in April. I can now rent movies through my US account, even though I'm back home in the Netherlands. By simply logging in and out, I can switch between my US account and my local account, so I can still buy local Dutch apps and music as well.