According to a report, Apple has ordered 5 million touch sensors for iPad 2’s, which suggests that 5 million iPad 2 devices will be shipped this month. This is yet another indicator that Apple’s second-generation device is continuing its healthy adoption.
According to the report, 5 different companies will be supplying parts for the iPad 2, with some 1.4 to 1.6 million units being shipped by TPK Holding and Wintek:
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.
Touch sensors are core to the way the iPad and as well as any other iOS device to function, since they enable users to interact with the system using multi-touch and touch gestures. Every iPad, iPod touch and iPhone come with a touch sensor built-in, therefore for 5 million touch sensors, there should be 5 million iPads. These healthy figures don’t only suggest that the iPad 2 is selling well, but they also prove that there won’t be a new iPad model replacing the iPad 2 anytime soon, despite previous claims that a new iPad with a 250dpi screen would be available in September, along with a next-generation iPhone.
The iPad 2 was first announced in March of this year and became available shortly after. The multi-touch tablet sports a dual-core A5 processor, 512 MB of RAM, a 9.7-inch screen with a 1024×768 resolution and a front-facing camera. The device is also 33% thinner and 15% lighter than the previous iPad, which was introduced just a year earlier. Within a day after the release, retailers had allegedly sold out every unit.
Over the last decade, Apple has outsourced most of its manufacturing to outside contractors, most of them based in the far East. While outsourcing provides its benefits, it also contributes to additional information being leaked, since more people have access to it. The amount of parts Apple orders for different products, for example, quickly becomes known, which provides several hints at where the Cupertino company may intend to take its product line.
If you’re looking to get an iPad 2, now would be a great time to buy one. It won’t be replaced anytime soon after all. This in no way means that there won’t be a next-generation iPhone in September, since both products have different release schedules.
(via Digitimes)
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