Apple iPad sales fail to hit forecasts

Sales of Apple's iPad have failed to meet the steadily rising expectations for the touchscreen tablet device, letting some of the air out of the enthusiasm that has built on Wall Street in recent weeks.

Apple's shares slipped more than 6 per cent in after-hours trading after it said it had sold 4.2 million of the devices in the three months to the end of September, below the 5 million that some had ­projected. It sold 3.3 million after being introduced part of the way through the prior quarter.