Apple may be cutting back on iPad 2 shipments as it gears up to introduce a new supplier for iPad 3 LCDs, according to new rumors from the parts chain. LCD contractors were said by Digitimes to be making "inventory adjustments" by about 850,000 of the tablet's screens. In October, LG Display had cut its production by 500,000, while Chi Mei Innolux had cut its small output in half from 700,000 to 350,000.
Taiwan newspaper Apple Daily today claimed that new MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are due to ship this month. Unnamed sources said the systems would use the mobile Core i3, i5 and i7 processors and that the 13- and 15-inch models would all get eight-hour battery life, up an hour from today. They would also get 640GB drive options with a 256GB SSD as an alternate.
At least one heavily rumored Apple tablet was moved to early 2010 to accommodate a glass panel issue, industry tipsters claimed Monday. Parts suppliers now say Taiwan's Innolux is providing 10-inch panels to Apple but that the release was moved to its supposed early 2010 release date to toughen the glass. Foxconn division G-Tech Optoelectronics, as well as Wah Hong Industrial, are said by DigiTimes to have been contracted to provide toughening material and film to protect the larger screen.
Taiwan display maker Innolux has landed new orders for touchscreens from Apple, say claims from those inside the industry. While few details are available, the company is expected to start shipments soon; the company itself declines to either confirm or deny orders from Apple but says it will soon ship a production run of touch panels using capacitive input like that of Apple's handhelds.
