AU Optronics Reportedly Making up Ground on 'iPad Mini' Display Production

ipad mini mockup hand frontAmid reports of component yield issues holding back launch supplies of the "iPad mini" earlier this month, it was reported that AU Optronics, which had been slated to produce two million display panels during the third quarter, was experiencing issues that resulted in the company providing only 400,000 units over that time period. AU Optronics was said to be responsible for 40% of Apple's target of five million panels for the quarter, with LG Display responsible for the other 60%.

Just a week before Apple is expected to introduce the iPad mini, China Economic News Service now reports that AU Optronics has resolved its production issues and is making up for lost time by boosting its production from two million panels per month to three million at Apple's request.

AU Optronics Corp., a major maker of thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panel in Taiwan, has replaced old photo masks to overcome problems in production of display panels for Apple's new iPad mini, hence motivating Apple to increase order by 50%, according to insiders but not commented upon by AUO.

The new production target is said to be going into effect in "mid-October", although it is not entirely clear how quickly those additional panels will make their way through the supply chain and into finished products.

A launch date for the iPad mini is not yet known, but Apple's history of major iOS device launches suggests that availability could come approximately a week and a half after its October 23 introduction, with Friday, November 2 being a possible debut date. First-generation products have, however, in the past seen longer lead times than new versions of existing products.

Related Roundup: iPad mini
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive These Five Perks

Wednesday July 9, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost? Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. Hom...

Top Rated Comments

Skika Avatar
166 months ago
Is it just me, or does that look like the same size as a Galaxy Note? You know, the one all the fanboys say is too big...

Yeah one is a phone and other is a tablet?

Is this post even serious?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
h1r0ll3r Avatar
166 months ago
As is always the case, never buy first gen products. Those that do, I can foresee a TON of "My screen sucks on my iPad Mini" threads. And people complained about the iPad 3 screen :rolleyes:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigBeast Avatar
166 months ago
Did I miss the useful info- is it Retina or near Retina?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Gates Avatar
166 months ago
I've had the iPad 3 for a while.

I just got the Nexus 7

I got to say , the Nexus 7 isn't quite AS fast...but it's fast.

And what it can do .....BLOWS THE iPAD AWAY !

Cheaper , more flexible and an overall better user experience
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleScruff1 Avatar
166 months ago
That's what happens when you go to second and third rate suppliers.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Anuba Avatar
166 months ago
As is always the case, never buy first gen products.
It's a bit hard to avoid, isn't it? iPad 1 was a new product category = 1st gen. iPad 2 was a major hardware redesign = 1st gen. iPad 3 was the iPad 2 with a brand new type of display in it = 1st gen. iPad 4 will have that display but the rest will probably be redesigned again = 1st gen.

Or take stuff the iPod Nano, which radically redesigned from the ground up every time a new model comes out. If you're gonna hold out for a tried and true Nano you can NEVER buy one. You wouldn't be able to buy much Apple stuff at all, other than interim iPhone models with "S" attached to their names, speedbumped Macs, the iPod Classic and Shuffle, the Thunderbolt display, and the keyboard+mouse.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)