Apple kicks off preorders for the iPad mini and fourth-gen iPad in select countries

Apple began taking preorders for its new iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad devices early Friday on its Apple Store app and its online store. iPad mini orders are limited to two per customer.

The company has said that the following countries will be eligible for pre-orders:

US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Countries that will not be offering preorders but are listed as part of the first wave include: Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Puerto Rico, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia.

Update, 12:20am Pacific: All white and silver versions of the iPad mini are listed as shipping in two weeks, while black and slate models are still listed as available for delivery on 11/2.

The Wi-Fi only versions of the iPad mini and the fourth-generation iPad will officially come out on November 2 and cellular models will arrive in mid-November. Applecare+ for the iPad mini costs $99, the same as for the larger iPad.

The 7.9-inch iPad mini starts at $329 for the 16GB version and includes an A5 chip, FaceTime HD camera and 5 megapixel iSight camera. Apple has also released a $39 minified version of the Smart Cover to go with the smaller iPad. Though some have declared the device as being overpriced compared to competing 7-inch tablets, Apple has defended its pricing by highlighting its build quality.

“The fit and finish of our precision enclosure is breathtaking when held in your hands. That’s what we’ve done, the iPad mini has higher costs and gross margin is significantly below our corporate average. [It’s at the] height of the cost curve,” CFO Peter Oppenheimer said during an earnings call on Thursday.

The fourth-generation iPad adds the Lightning connector, an A6x chip and a FaceTime HD front-facing camera. The pricing remains the same, starting at $499 for the Wi-Fi only model and $629 for the LTE version.