LCD Suppliers To Ramp Up Production For Latter 2012 Mini iPad Release: Rumor
Posted by Michael Nace on Thursday May 17, 2012 Under Apple Rumors, iTVA new rumor out of Taiwan claims that LCD suppliers are getting set to produce components for the 7.85-inch “iPad Mini” in time for the second half of 2012. With rumors breaking yesterday that production for iPhone 5 displays are just getting underway, is Apple really going to cram both product releases into the last two quarters of 2012?
This morning, 9to5Mac is reporting on a new rumor out of Taiwan via Macotakara that Apple has taken big steps to commence production of the mythic 7.85-inch Mini iPad. According to the 9to5Mac report, the LCD suppliers for the Mini iPad’s have been certified, and production orders are underway:
LG and AU Optronics were certified to supply the LCD panel for the iPad Mini. Furthermore, it goes on to claim that both manufacturers are working to ship the panels for production and for a release sometime during the latter half of 2012. The target-shipping amount for the iPad Mini is said to reach 6 million (which was previously reported), but I think there would be a need for more due to the influx of holiday sales. Other news about iPad Mini parts include: TPK Holding will produce 4 million backlight modules; Chemi Innolux will produce 2 million; and Nissha Printing will produce the touch film sensor.
This report joins a similarly-styled report out of Asia yesterday via WSJ’s Asia bureau, which claims that displays for the iPhone 5 are only just beginning to ramp up. Lorainne Luk and Juno Osawa reported that, according to their well-placed sources, “The new screens measure at least 4 inches diagonally, the people said, compared with 3.5 inches on Apple’s latest model, the iPhone 4S. Production is set to begin next month, the people said. Analysts have predicted that the next iPhone will come out in the fall.”
Then, there was the China Daily article from last week that claimed Foxconn CEO Terry Gao nonchalantly referred to the much-anticipated iTV: “Gou said Foxconn is making preparations for iTV, Apple Inc’s rumored upcoming high-definition television, although development or manufacturing has yet to begin.” This remark has splashed water on Appledom’s whimsical hopes that iTV could be revealed at the WWDC in June.
If all of these release date rumors were to come true, Apple would be releasing the alpha version of iOS 6, the iPhone 5, the iPad Mini, and iTV all in the last two quarters of 2012.
An Apple A Day
From a marketing standpoint, does it make sense that the first two quarters of 2012 would have Apple releasing the iPad 3, new OS X, and (ostensibly) a new series of MacBooks, but the second half of the year would feature iOS 6, the iPhone 5, perhaps a new iPod, a Mni iPad, and the iTV? The standard approach to product releasing would say no, but, of course, Apple rarely does anything by the book — and they are the most financially solvent company in the world as a result of that ethic.
It’s also worth noting that Apple sees the year differently than we do: their fiscal year for 2012 began on September 25, 2011, and runs through September 29, 2012. This means that the iPhone 4S and iPad 3 have been released together in the 2012 fiscal year. So, depending on which of the new Apple gear gets released prior on September 29th, Cupertino may have a more balanced product release schedule in the eyes of their shareholders and the balance sheet.
Still, Apple would seemingly need to balance both their own fiscal calendar and the one that consumers live by in order to optimize their releases. It has been noted before that Apple typically staggers its major product releases evenly throughout the year, which is why all of the “latter half of 2012″ release rumors for almost everything that Apple is expected to release this year seems unlikely.
The WWDC would still seem like a perfectly positioned event on the calendar to reveal something new.
By Michael Nace
Michael Nace is the Publisher of the iPhone 5 News Blog and iPhone 6 News Blog. He has published articles about the iPhone since 2010.
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May 17th, 2012 at 10:58 am
WWDC has got to hold something in store for us. That is too much for consumers to take in all at once and apple always wants us to buy all their latest tech. Cramming things to close together forces the consumer to choose. Thats why apple had previously released the iPad, iPhone and new iPods so far away from each other. They want you to buy all 3. an iPhone 5, new iPods, an iTV, and an iPad Mini is way too many product launches before the holiday season and then if you expect an iPad 4 the next March it just all adds up to too much too soon. If apple does that, then I will firmly believe that Apple is going a different direction then the ideas of Steve Jobs. It will be interesting to say the least but I’m still saying iPhone 5 at wwdc. We will just have to wait and see. Nice write up though Micheal!
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May 17th, 2012 at 11:38 am
It seems like the ipad mini would be more likely at the WWDC. They don’t really need to do very much as far as new technology is concerned with it. Just release a smaller version of the current ipad and it would sell like crazy. Since the rumor has been flying about a mini ipad for about a year i think it’s more likely to see that at WWDC. The new iPhone is going to be more complex in every way with the best technology they can come up with. That isn’t something they can just throw together in a few months and they want to perfect everything about it. Plus, I think they are strategically trying to release the new iphone every fall.
My prediction:
iPad mini announced at WWDC
iPhone 5 not announced until sept/oct
A hot comment -- What do you think?
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May 17th, 2012 at 11:40 am
By the way, iPad mini announcement in June and released in July would technically be a “latter half of 2012″ release.
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May 17th, 2012 at 11:44 am
@Mike D. While I agree it would be the ‘latter half of 2012′ I don’t see them releasing an iPad mini this close to the release of the ‘New iPad.’ And as the slogan is ‘the week we’ve ALL been waiting for,’ I personally think it would have to be something else. I mean as I’ve stated in previous comments, the iPhone and iPods are the products from Apple that everyone can identify with, even if they don’t own one. Especially the iPhone, it’s the holy grail of tech rumors and the holy grail of Apple secrets.
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May 17th, 2012 at 11:55 am
@SpasticPat
That’s true. It will be interesting to see what happens. Don’t get me wrong… I definitely would love to see a new iphone next month! I just don’t really think its very likely. Apple likes keeping everybody in suspense so I guess we’ll see what it is in a few weeks!
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May 17th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Maybe Apple is being more general with “The week we’ve all been waiting for” line. Instead of a specific piece of software or hardware, maybe what we’ve ALL been waiting for is a truly seamless integration of technology into our lives or something along those lines. I’m just spitballing, but what if Apple has been silently working on something big for iCloud or something else entirely while we’ve all been distracted with rumors about the iPhone 5 and mini iPad.
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May 17th, 2012 at 2:43 pm
@Thomas, you never know. Could be something huge concerning ios6 that we don’t know about, I mean don’t they usually have the beta version out by now? I mean WWDC is only about a month away…who knows what Apple’s brewing…
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May 17th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Maybe Apple will release new versions of ALL of their product lines including iOS at WWDC!
If you look at it from a development angle, the things they have had the most time to work on since the last iterations are the Macbooks and the iPhone.
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May 17th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
…. and the iMacs ….and the iPods
Sorry typed without thinking.
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May 17th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
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May 17th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
@Kev
I disagree. Before they announced and revealed the iPhone it was a known fact that Apple was going to create their own phone. I remember hearing about it about a year before it came out. I still remember being amazed at how incredible it would be for Apple to have the concept of an ipod integrated with a phone and how they talked about it having a touch screen. So yes it was definitely anticipated and something that many people waited for.
I think it’s pretty pointless to really try to predict what Apple defines for what we’ve been waiting for. I agree with Thomas that it really could be some abstract thing that Apple has been working on and has figured out a way to make life easier/cooler. It could be a product that has been redesigned, or it could be something that many people haven’t really had a tangible thought about. In the end, it could be something we’ve been waiting for without really knowing it…just like the iPad. The iPad was criticized so heavily when it first came out. But look at it now. It was something we were all waiting for. We just didn’t know it yet.
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May 17th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
@mike, good point on the iPad. Fastest selling device from product launch. Can’t believe its been three years since it first came out. Seems like only last year. It was critized so much, hell, even I said it was stupid. I wasn’t an Apple fan back then. Now I’ve been sucked into Apple, a cage made of technology that so intuitive on how to escape, you just don’t want to.
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May 17th, 2012 at 6:22 pm
@undefeatable
Actually, the iPad’s been out approximately 2 years. It was introduced January 2010 but official launch was April 2010 so I can see why you feel like it was only last year lol.
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May 17th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
@Undfeatable I was the same way. I had a 2nd Gen iPod touch and figured, what the heck do I need that for? It’s a giant iPod Touch…pointless. Then I was lucky enough to win one at work and I am in love with it. Not a day goes by that I don’t use it.
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May 17th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
You WON an iPad? I don’t like you anymore…..*grumble grumble* $1000…. lot of money…. death to spastic…. *grumble grumble*
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May 17th, 2012 at 7:23 pm
@Undfeatable yeah I won an iPad. It was actually closer to when the iPad 2 came out if not after it did and I got an iPad 1 w/16gb memory and 3G capability which I don’t use since I have a smartphone. I actually won it, after donating some money to a charity, from the company I work for in a drawing.
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May 17th, 2012 at 7:30 pm
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May 17th, 2012 at 8:59 pm
I disagree richard. Icloud has always synced all of my devices and kept them up to date. Even at school I will using icloud. com and update my calendar and stuff, then when i turn my phone back on, its already there. Same with my iPad.
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May 17th, 2012 at 9:19 pm
The Tagline “the week we have all been waiting for” is nothing more than Apple hyping up the event itself. It’s not Apple saying, “we are showing you our new products, but this one specific item is the best”. I think the products they are releasing are different enough to not cause buyers to buy one or the other. I don’t think someone is going to not buy a phone just because they are releasing a new TV. Bothing says Apple has to launch the phone in October. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Ipad mini or new iphone is in August for example, and November for the other.
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May 17th, 2012 at 9:53 pm
@Richard, no it was an iPAD lol I already had an iPod previous to it and then the iPad was added to my limited collection of treasured Apple products.
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May 17th, 2012 at 11:41 pm
I agree with Osiris. They’ll release the ip5 or mini iPad in August, then the other in November before the holidays. My guess is the Apple TV won’t be released until after the first of the year. And at the WWDC they’ll announce whatever they’re doing with the MacBooks.
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May 18th, 2012 at 3:01 am
@Richard
And that’s the point. They have one big product at the front page, and all of this products are there min. 2 months. (normally)
And that’s the reason for that Apple must hurry up. WWDC may they announce the new MacBook Pro and iMac. I think the MacBook Pro is more like a revolution so it becomes the front pages first. Then in August-October could they introduce the iPad mini or iPhone 5. And in October – ….. they can introduce the new iTV. But if there really be an iTV and an iPad mini this year. The iPhone would have a really close to the iPad mini launch.
And in fact: If they any device not on their front page then the Macs and iPods.
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May 18th, 2012 at 4:04 am
A thought just occurred to me.
Recently the tech media (and even some of the more mainsteam media too) has been speculating that Apple has reached its peak etc. and that their share price cannot get too much higher blah, blah.
With the recent launch of the S3 and a slew of Android tables and even an MS tablet too, perhaps Apple really will release the mini iPad and iPhone5 and iTV in the latter part of this year as a huge fanfare to reassert themselves as the pre-eminent consumer technology firm.
It would put paid to the rumours of any impending decline and almost relaunch it in the post Steve Jobs era.
It’s a bit of a leftfield idea but it would certainly eclipse all their main rivals in the gadget tech arena.
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