The 16 gigabyte iPad 2 has a price tag of 3,688 yuan ($568) - 300 yuan cheaper than the first generation iPad in China - while the 64-gigabyte version sells for 5,288 yuan.

Yu Hong (right), who bought the first iPad 2 from the Apple Store in Beijing's Sanlitun area, shows off her catch outside the store on Friday.

"The price reduction and relatively early launch date show that the company has placed more emphasis on the Chinese market this year," said Wang Jiping, research manager at IT research company International Data Corporation (IDC) China.

More than 30 tablet PC makers are competing in the Chinese market, including Lenovo Group and Samsung. But Apple still dominated China's tablet PC market in the first quarter of this year, with market share topping 78 percent, according to figures from domestic research firm Analysys International.

China's biggest computer maker, Lenovo Group, launched its competing product LePad last month and said it will kick off the LePad 2 in the second half of this year. Companies such as Samsung, Hewlett-Packard Corp, Dell Inc, Acer Inc and ASUSTeK Computer Inc will also launch new tablet PCs in China this year.

Wang from IDC said as more companies move their focus to the tablet market, Apple's dominant position may be weakened.