MORE THAN three million of Apple’s iPad tablet computers have been sold in the 80 days since it was launched, the US firm announced yesterday.

The iPad is a touchscreen device which runs the same software available for Apple’s iPhone but it is much larger and has superior capabilities.

Apple said more than 11,000 apps have now been created specifically for the iPad, although it can also run the 225,000 apps available for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

“People are loving iPad as it becomes a part of their daily lives,” said Steve Jobs, chief executive of Apple. “We’re working hard to get this magical product into the hands of even more people around the world, including those in nine more countries next month.”

The iPad will go on sale in Ireland next month although no details of pricing or of which mobile networks will support it have been released. The iPad is largely an internet access device and can connect over Wi-Fi and using mobile phone networks.

Separately yesterday it emerged that many iPhone users are having difficulties with a new release of the software that runs on their smartphones.

Apple’s iOS 4, released on Monday, adds a number of new capabilities to the iPhone such as multi-tasking, the ability to group apps in folders, an enhanced email client and a zoom camera.

Many users complained in online forums yesterday that the upgrade took up to two hours to complete, while others found that apps they had installed from third parties no longer worked after they had installed it.