Several surveys by analysts have revealed that the recently-released Apple iPad 2 sold between 400,000 and 600,000 units in the first three days after its launch; with the result that most of the retail outlets ran out of device on its debut weekend.

According to analysts, with the new iPad 2 virtually flying off the shelves during its first weekend, Apple’s stores in major US cities had sold out of the updated tablet device within hours of its launch on Friday, March 11.

Despite the fact that Apple has yet to disclose the official launch-weekend sales figures of the iPad 2, the projected numbers by the analysts indicate that the tablet has surpassed the early sales figures of its predecessor, which reached the 400,000-600,000 unit sales range in the first week.

Talking about the overwhelming initial demand of the iPad 2, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster noted that his team had found that the device was sold out at retailers including Apple, Target and Best Buy. Munster said: “iPads are sold out across virtually all channels. We were unable to find any availability.

Another analyst, Trip Chowdhry, of Global Equities Research, also said that the robust initial sales of the iPad 2 reveal that the sales of the device were nearly three times those of the original iPad. Chowdhry further reiterated that all of the Best Buy stores surveyed by Global Equities had sold out of the iPad in four minutes.