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Apple Reportedly Bringing On Another Touch Panel Supplier to Boost iPad Production

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</p>DigiTimes reports that Apple is adding another supplier of touch panels for the iPad, likely addressing what has been thought to be the primary bottleneck on production rates for the device.<p class="quote">Cando, a subsidiary of AU Optronics (AUO), is scheduled to start shipping 9.7-inch touch sensors for Apple's iPad from its newly reformed 4.5G production line in September-October 2010.

Overall output of the newly reformed 4.5G plant will be mainly for iPad touch sensors with a monthly capacity of almost one million units.</p>According to industry sources, Apple initially contracted with both Wintek and TPK for iPad touch panels, but claims of production issues at Wintek were blamed for a slightly delayed launch and tight supplies for the device as it debuted in the U.S. in early April. TPK was also rumored to be experiencing difficulties with production, forcing Apple to shift some production back to Wintek as it scrambled to fill its sales channels in the early weeks of availability.

iPad production has apparently already been boosted significantly over the past few months, with shipping estimates in its existing markets dropping down to "within 24 hours" and Apple reportedly looking to boost output even further to 3 million units per month. The further expansion in production appears set to support expanded distribution, with the device launching in China and several South American countries later this week and Best Buy expanding U.S. retail store distribution. Target has also been claimed to be rolling out iPad availability early next month.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Bringing On Another Touch Panel Supplier to Boost iPad Production
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/09/15/apple-reportedly-bringing-on-another-touch-panel-supplier-to-boost-ipad-production/
How many suppliers do they need to make the popular iPhone 4? So many girls I know are waiting for the white.
 
Glad to see sales are high enough to pose this as a problem for Apple. It will be interesting to see how the future generations of this product fare. I am still waiting for Vev.B before I go with one.
 
I hope this won't lead to quality variations and another lottery.
 
gatearray said:
Can't wait to see how the "7 inchers" on these forums take this news.

:)
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This is only good news as Apple strengthens its iPad supply chain. If they move to offer a model with a different screen size, they have the partnerships to move swiftly and, hopefully, be better prepared to meet demand.

Oh, and as an AAPL shareholder, I have no complaints with this development.

;)
 
I thought they'd caught up with demand? I ordered my iPad 2 weeks ago and it came 2 days later. From the states to the UK.
 
Consultant said:
How many suppliers do they need to make the popular iPhone 4? So many girls I know are waiting for the white.
Click to expand...

Rev B is not ready to ship for a few more months. You really think the White delay is paint?

Apple is building the minimal amount it can until Jan. Then it with quickly go to 24hrs. IN Black and White Rev B. chassis.:apple:
 
It´s more than due with iPad in the Nordics...

Hopefully this also means that iPad will soon be coming to the Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland).

It is incredible that they haven´t launched it here yet, we have extreme high penetration of mobile internet and extreme strong Apple base, and still....no Ipad....
 
Early Adopter

840quadra said:
Glad to see sales are high enough to pose this as a problem for Apple. It will be interesting to see how the future generations of this product fare. I am still waiting for Vev.B before I go with one.
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Very happy with my Rev. A, bought April 3rd. It seems quite a few others agree with me.

Moreover, if a 7" shows up or a 9" with a camera, I will be an early adopter again.
 
adrian.oconnor said:
Don't believe the hype. I mean, does this look dangerous?
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No it looks like another Android phone that's been extended. I think 7" is just that little bit too small. Id like to see one that can adjust its size depending on situation 7" to 7' Now that would be cool.
 
iDisk said:
There getting ready for the christmas season
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It should make for an interesting Christmas for Apple. Word of mouth on the iPads is great. For those households with disposable cash this year (not as many as usual, to be sure), I can see a low-end iPad being one of the key gifts this Christmas.
 
Imagine being in Denmark: no chance of getting the iPad before christmas (IMO) - and I've JUST NOW gotten the chance to get the iPhone 4 after being on the waiting list for months. The price of that thing is so steep here that I'll have to decline for now!

Very disappointed that we have to wait this long for the iPad over here.
 
vmistery said:
No it looks like another Android phone that's been extended. I think 7" is just that little bit too small. Id like to see one that can adjust its size depending on situation 7" to 7' Now that would be cool.
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When you look at the iPod market, Apple doesn't leave any gaps where competitors could get in. So many people moaning about the iPod Classic, but if Apple dropped it that would be an opportunity for competitors, and money left on the table.

I think the same thing could happen with the iPad. 7 inch is not optimal to me, not at all, but _some_ people will prefer 7 inch to 10 inch. Apple can make money by selling a 7 inch iPad that otherwise would go to competitors. Best would be smaller screen with the same number of pixels so all the software runs unchanged.

This is different from the "mid-tower Macintosh" that people are asking for and that Apple isn't interested in; that would be a market where Apple wouldn't make money or would make very little money.
 
NebulaClash said:
It should make for an interesting Christmas for Apple. Word of mouth on the iPads is great. For those households with disposable cash this year (not as many as usual, to be sure), I can see a low-end iPad being one of the key gifts this Christmas.
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Oh yeah definitely, I think the next iPad pricing will be $100 cheaper from what all the prices currently are.
 
Fasinating

This is so interesting. The Tablet form factor has been around for years and yet has gone nowhere. Apple finally brings out a tablet and absolutely defines what a tablet is. Check out the Samsung Galaxy Tab ( http://galaxytab.samsungmobile.com/ ) If you look at the spec's for this Pad it blows the iPad away. As pointed out on Mac Break Weekly the Galaxy Tab is about the same size as the Apple Newton. Looking at this pad you can see how good a 7 inch iPad would be. As long as the 10 inch iPad is selling better then a Burger King Whoppers there is real no incentive to produce one right now. Having said all of this the Galaxy Tab does not have one thing, iTunes, that is the game changer until a real rival to iTunes comes around all of these Android Pads will be nothing but contenders. My fantasy; the opening of iTunes for devices other then Apple, a Samsung Galaxy Tab with iTunes.......damn. But that will never happen for very good business reasons.
 
There's one other thing the Galaxy Tab lacks besides the iTunes infrastructure (which some anti-Apple types would view as an advantage, of course): it doesn't have an OS built just for a tablet. As Engadget said in its otherwise favorable Sept. 2nd review, it's using the Android phone OS shoehorned into the larger form factor. Great, just what you want, a tablet running an OS that wasn't designed with it in mind.

No, there won't be serious competition (*) for the iPad until someone builds a credible tablet OS and a credible tablet store and a credible media library app with a fully-stocked store. Hasn't happened yet, which is why we keep seeing all those "Where are all the iPad competitors?" stories.

* By "serious competition" I don't mean the geek audience who will gladly buy anything not made by Apple, rootkit it immediately and show off their command line skilz to their buddies. I'm talking about a device that grandma sees and thinks, hey, I could use that. In other words, serious competition for the iPad among the 90% of the population that is not a geek. Right now the iPad is the only thing out there for that large market which is why Apple can barely make the things fast enough.
 
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