DigiTimes briefly reports that Apple is planning a significant increase in iPad 2 shipments for the third quarter of this year, attempting to move 12-14 million units over the period. That goal is up from the 7-9 million units reportedly shipped during the second quarter.
In order to significantly increase its shipments in the third quarter, Apple has been piling up its inventory of iPad 2 components such as panels in the second quarter to minimize the risk of facing component shortages.
Research analysts have had a particularly difficult time forecasting Apple's quarterly iPad shipments in the face of production constraints and the transition from the original iPad to the iPad 2. While a number of research analysts and firms have pegged Apple's total 2011 iPad sales in the range of 40 million units or even higher, Apple fell far short of expectations in the first calendar quarter with only 4.69 million units shipped. That figure only included, however, a few initial weeks of iPad 2 sales as Apple struggled to meet demand and according to Tim Cook sold every iPad 2 it made during the quarter.
