Apple’s iPad to sell for as little as $499

Steve Jobs saved some of his thunder for the end of the presentation as he announced that the price for the iPad will be as low as $499, far below the $999 predicted price.

For that price, you get a 16-gigabyte version. The price goes as high as $829 for an iPad with 64 gigabytes of storage and 3G wireless connectivity service. The data plans will cost $14.99 for 250 megabytes of data per month or $29.99 a month for unlimited data. That’s far below current iPhone prices.

Jobs said these were “breakthrough” prices for a device that gives you the “Internet in your hands.” The device has an accessory dock that can be used in a photo frame style. It turns on instantly. Between the AppStore, iTunes store, and new iBook store, there are already 125 million accounts created. Users have downloaded over 12 billion products for all of the iPods and iPhones to date. Some 75 million people already know how to use it, since the user interface is similar.

“It’s our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price,” Jobs said. “We have always tried to be at the intersection of technology and liberal arts. To get the best products that are also intuitive so that they fit the users.”