Intent not to repeat this year’s shortages, Apple reportedly is “overbooking” its supply of iPad components for 2011. Suppliers of the iPad’s panel display have received orders for 65 million of the components for next year, far higher than the 45-48 million previously projected.
The move “indicates that Apple is very optimistic about the tablet PC market in 2011, and may also mean that Apple is overbooking panel capacity,” a Taiwan-based industry publication reported Wednesday.
LG Display received an order for 35 million panels in 2011, along with 15 million each for Samsung and Chimei Innolux, two suppliers that will manufacture iPad parts starting the first quarter of next year, the publication adds.
Tuesday, the same publication reported Apple was preparing three versions of the iPad 2, expecting in early 2011 to replace the initial tablet from the Cupertino, Calif. company. Along with Wi-Fi and 3G, a third version would offer CDMA connectivity, the latest sign Apple could work with Verizon, as well as Asian telecoms.
However, some observers suspect the sharp rise expected in iPad sales for 2011, writing today’s iPad sales estimates too far from conventional wisdom.
