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Display Suppliers' Production Numbers Support Upcoming Boost in iPad 2 Shipments

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Last week, DigiTimes reported that Apple would be targeting shipments of 12-14 million iPad 2s during the third quarter of 2011, and a new report backs up that conclusion with claims that Apple's touch panel suppliers pushed out five million units in June and plan to produce another five million in July.
Five million touch sensors for the iPad 2 will be shipped in July, according to sources with Apple's supply chain.

Shipments in June were also five million, with TPK Holding and Wintek supplying 1.4-1.6 million units each and the remaining by Cando, Sintek Photronic and Chimei Innolux (CMI), the sources indicated.
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Display production has been one bottleneck for Apple in meeting iPad customer demand, even dating back to the original iPad. Wintek and TPK were Apple's initial suppliers for the touch components, but the company was forced to add additional suppliers such as Cando in order to meet its production goals.

Apple has been said to be soaking up 60% of the global supply of touch panels for 2011, putting pressure on smaller manufacturers who are having a difficult time securing components for their own devices.

Article Link: Display Suppliers' Production Numbers Support Upcoming Boost in iPad 2 Shipments
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/05/display-suppliers-production-numbers-support-upcoming-boost-in-ipad-2-shipments/
Obviously. The demand for this thing is insane.

Look for reduced notebook sales from the competition over the next 6-12 months.
 
Wasn't there a report that says other tablet makers are getting low quality panels that Apple don't want?

Basically the other iPad wannabe makers can't even buy quality parts, even if they have the budget.
 
and no doubt again tomorrows news will be 'iPad 3 launching in September with retina display, HD cameras front and back'

I know it's all speculation, but would help if everyone was walking in the same direction!
 
Yeah, I already explained why posting that picture proves nothing. iPad 3 could come out in September and there would still have been more iPad 2s sold in 2011 than any other model. 2011 will be the year of iPad 2 regardless of when iPad 3 is released, even if it's in September.

Posting that picture is a waste of time.
 
Agreed, I don't see why the iPad3 couldn't be released this year....

I think actually Apple rushed the iPad2 out to keep a dominant market position as the Motorola Xoom had a dual core processor and was more powerful, from what I read, than the original iPad and thus for IT managers or project managers they would want to give CEOs & board members a product that was as up to date and as fast as possible, thus not neccissarily the iPad.

Besides I'm holding off buying an iPad until they release an iPad with retina display, as good as the iPads look they're neither 720P or 1080P native.
 
The question has to be why would Apple release an iPad 3 so soon? Why would a company who has only just released a sizeable update to a product (anyone who claims it's a minor update is ignoring the facts - much better processor, massively improved graphics performance, cameras, gyroscope and a third thinner!) and can't even yet keep up with demand for that product spend a huge amount of money in order to make that product obsolete? I would understand this if the iPad 2 was selling poorly but it isn't.

There is no argument for this idea that makes any sense. Could it happen? It's not beyond the realms of the possible. But is there any reason to expect it? No. No reason at all.
 
Zunjine said:
The question has to be why would Apple release an iPad 3 so soon? Why would a company who has only just released a sizeable update to a product (anyone who claims it's a minor update is ignoring the facts - much better processor, massively improved graphics performance, cameras, gyroscope and a third thinner!) and can't even yet keep up with demand for that product spend a huge amount of money in order to make that product obsolete? I would understand this if the iPad 2 was selling poorly but it isn't.

There is no argument for this idea that makes any sense. Could it happen? It's not beyond the realms of the possible. But is there any reason to expect it? No. No reason at all.
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I dont think it will happen. But I do think there are good reasons for it too happen.

Keeps Apple in the news, keeps them remaining on top and shocks competition with a new product that they are desperately trying to keep up with.

Although I dont think much could change other than the screen for the moment.. or the size. If they released a 7" that to me would be cool for a small ebook reader (wouldnt buy one though as I own the original ipad) doubt they would release a smaller size, doesnt seem to be a demand for it and jobs doesnt like them either.

So possibly either the screen resolution being better with some better graphics I suppose maybe processor bump (small) its quite hard to think what could be a significant change in order to sell a 3rd gen so quick.

Size seems to be the only drastic change that could be made at the moment.
 
There's a very good reason for Apple to release an iPad 3 as fast as they can manage: It keeps them so far ahead of the competition that they will own 2012 as much as they owned 2011. Android tablets will not stop trying to find a model that works well enough to make inroads in the tablet market. Apple can shock the market by breaking their one-update-per-year cycle that competitors are counting on. If Apple could offer a greatly increased resolution in the process, it would dishearten the competition.

This is the start of the Post-PC era. There's a massive land grab going on right now that will extend for years. The company or companies that grab huge market share in 2011 and 2012 can keep that share for the next decade. Apple's time is now if they keep the pedal to the metal.
 
Personally, if (IF) Apple does at Retina this year, they would do it as an option. I think price point would be driven up and I don't think they want to give up the $499 entry price.

So, iPad Pro, or iPad HD concept. Just in time for the holidays. :D

Oh... and the other thing... I bet these numbers make the other tablet makers cringe when compared to their numbers.
 
NebulaClash said:
This is the start of the Post-PC era. There's a massive land grab going on right now that will extend for years. The company or companies that grab huge market share in 2011 and 2012 can keep that share for the next decade. Apple's time is now if they keep the pedal to the metal.
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Although I don't quite agree with the possibility of an iPad 3 release this year, you do make a compelling point here. Maybe a Christmas release?
 
While iPad3 is a long shot for September, this article says NOTHING denying or confirming anything that would deal with a newer version of the iPad. As many speculated: the "iPad3" if released in Q4 2011, with iPods, would probably just hitch the screen res and maybe cameras. Not having an A6 processor, it would be iPad2,4 or somesuch further revision of the iPad2.

This article goes through Q3 2011. Q4 might be a different story. It also specifies nothing about the sorts of screens made and ordered, just labeled as iPad touch sensor screens.
 
*LTD* said:
Although I don't quite agree with the possibility of an iPad 3 release this year, you do make a compelling point here. Maybe a Christmas release?
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other than video games who releases anything before christmas?

most of the parts in the ipad 2 come out early in the year for testing and engineering so the product can ship early the next year. not like apple makes or designs most of the internal parts
 
Whether it's possible or not, I think a controlled leak could possibly have competitors scrambling to compete. And maybe in those "scrambling" efforts, they may make poor decisions in result of the quick thinking.

Then Apple just laughs and pushes it out 2/12
 
notromeel said:
Whether it's possible or not, I think a controlled leak could possibly have competitors scrambling to compete. And maybe in those "scrambling" efforts, they may make poor decisions in result of the quick thinking.

Then Apple just laughs and pushes it out 2/12
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Plans within plans within plans. ;)
 
I'm not gonna say that a retina-display iPad is or isn't coming out this year. I'm just asking whether there are any display manufacturers that have the capability to produce 9.7" 2048x1536 displays at a clip of 10 million per quarter. Sure, initial production runs can be at 3 to 5 million per quarter, but Apple will eventually want 10 million a quarter.

The manufacturer would need to be able to produce huge quantities of these retina screens while also producing the 1366x768 10.1" screens for Android tablets and netbooks.

I don't see this happening for a while, personally. But I know enough to not predict what Apple can make happen.
 
Last edited:
ri0ku said:
I dont think it will happen. But I do think there are good reasons for it too happen.

Keeps Apple in the news, keeps them remaining on top and shocks competition with a new product that they are desperately trying to keep up with.

Although I dont think much could change other than the screen for the moment.. or the size. If they released a 7" that to me would be cool for a small ebook reader (wouldnt buy one though as I own the original ipad) doubt they would release a smaller size, doesnt seem to be a demand for it and jobs doesnt like them either.

So possibly either the screen resolution being better with some better graphics I suppose maybe processor bump (small) its quite hard to think what could be a significant change in order to sell a 3rd gen so quick.

Size seems to be the only drastic change that could be made at the moment.
Click to expand...

But the costs are massive in developing a new product. This plan would cut off the iPad 2 in its prime and, well, they're already beating the competition handily right now. The gains are tiny but the costs are huge.
 
I can see this so-called "iPad 3" turning out to be a separate entry-level product line. Something to compete with Nooks and Kindles that are selling well right now: Config would be something like:
  • 7" screen for portability, but same overall res as iPad 1 & 2 for app compatibility. Note that this will make the display seem "sharper", more retina-like.
  • 8GB memory. Plenty for e-books.
  • Smaller speaker.
  • No cameras.
  • No bluetooth.
  • Affordable $200 price point to displace the the Nooks and Kindles already on everyone's 2011 Christmas list. Of course, once "iPad 3" is on the actual Christmas list, there will be much deliberation on the value of upgrading to the full-sized iPad 2. Some may go the whole hog, and some won't; but the main thing is the Nooks are out in the cold :)
 
Arran said:
[*]7" screen for portability, but same overall res as iPad 1 & 2 for app compatibility. Note that this will make the display seem "sharper", more retina-like.
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While this is technically possible, I doubt that Apple would go this route. Using a 7" screen at 1024x768 would make the target area for touching buttons and icons incredibly hard and difficult.
[*]Affordable $200 price point to displace the the Nooks and Kindles already on everyone's 2011 Christmas list. Of course, once "iPad 3" is on the actual Christmas list, there will be much deliberation on the value of upgrading to the full-sized iPad 2. Some may go the whole hog, and some won't; but the main thing is the Nooks are out in the cold :)
Click to expand...
$200 is very optimistic for a Christmas 2011 time frame. If I had to guess on your spec device, I'd say it would run $350. Take a look at the iPod touch for a price check. Your device would be comparable to an iPod touch and I'm guessing a camera sensor and bluetooth would add very little to the cost.
 
Hmm

Target is 12-14 million for the Quarter.

5 Million in June.

5 Million in July.

2-4 Million in August?

Does that feel like a "ramp-down" in August? (say, because a new model is coming?)

The alternative explanation would be that June and July are to catch up with the pent up backlog of demand from the international roll out. And that the nominal number of sales is in the 3.5 million a month range.

I guess it's still a little early to be getting all excited over iPad 3 yet...
 
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