Analyst: iPad mini production may reach 10M units in Q4
updated 11:38 am EDT, Mon October 1, 2012
Pegatron and Foxconn tasked with manufacturing
Contract manufacturers may be preparing to build more than 10 million mini iPad tablets in the fourth quarter, according to Barclays analysts. Most of the new tablets are expected to be produced by veteran iPad maker Foxconn, while Pegatron is said to be tasked with manufacturing approximately three million units.
Production was initially expected to ramp up in September, however the companies are said to have faced component shortages that delayed large-scale assembly into October. Despite the setback, Barclays analyst Kirk Yang remains confident that Apple will keep to its original launch plans.
"As most iPad component vendors ramp up shipments in September that would continue into the fourth quarter of 2012, we do not see any signs of a postponed shipment schedule, suggesting an on-time October product launch," Yang said.
A smaller counterpart to Apple's existing tablets, the mini iPad is expected to integrate a 7.85-inch display surrounded by a comparatively thin bezel. Alleged image leaks show dual speaker grills and the smaller Lightning connector that was introduced with the iPhone 5.
Although the new iPad was incorrectly rumored to be unveiled alongside the iPhone 5, the company is believed to have focused on October to maximize the attention to each device ahead of the holiday shopping season.
