According to 9to5Mac, Apple has been collaborating with Sprint to bring the iPad to Sprint’s data network. In fact, the report claims that the two companies have already finished with the device, and it is now “ready to launch”.

Apple and Sprint have completed work on a version of the iPad for Sprint’s data network. This Sprint compatible iPad appears to be ready for public consumption and will join the family of GSM (AT&T) and Verizon capable Apple tablets before the holidays. With Apple soon launching a Sprint version of the iPhone – which we independently confirmed in June – we suspect that the Sprint iPad will come alongside or soon after that release.

When hearing about this news, the first thing that comes to mind is what type of network technology the device will use. Of course, Sprint could simply offer the existing CDMA iPad 2, but there are other options such as integration of Sprint’s 4G WiMAX network.

If Apple does indeed offer the iPad 2 for Sprint, it would succeed in bringing up the total number of different versions of the device to 24 – including all color, capacity, and carrier options.