Shipments of Retina iPad Mini Likely to Double in Q1 2014 as Shortages Ease
Shipments of the supply-constrained iPad mini with Retina display are likely to double in Q1 2014, according to market research firm IHS iSuppli (via CNET) and KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, with both stating that the estimated shipment of 2 million Retina iPad mini tablets in the current quarter will grow to a total shipment of about 4.5 million devices in the first three months of next year.
Rhoda Alexander, director of Tablet and Monitor Research at IHS iSuppli, stated the following about the supply constraints surrounding the tablet:
Rhoda Alexander told CNET on Tuesday that she expects production of about 2 million Mini Retina tablets in the fourth calendar quarter.
"When you think about some of the releases where they sold that many iPads in a weekend," that's not a lot, she said.
Meanwhile, Ming-Chi Kuo stated his estimates for a production boost of the tablet, stating that shipments of the Retina iPad mini will increase due to an improvement in manufacturer yield:
We maintain our iPad mini R shipments forecast of around 2.2mn units for 4Q13. Considering production yield improvement at the supply chain, we forecast shipments will grow 102% QoQ in 1Q14 to 4.5mn units. But marked shipments growth given the low base in 4Q13 can’t make up for overall iPad shipments in 1Q14.
In something of a surprise move, Apple began accepting orders for the Retina iPad mini in the United States and several other countries yesterday, with the device's quiet launch potentially due to constrained supplies. Currently however, availability through Apple's online store appears to be holding up for the time being, with the company's U.S. stores showing the same shipping estimates seen at the time orders went live: 1-3 business days for 16 and 32 GB Wi-Fi models and 5-10 business days for all other models.
Previous rumors have suggested that available quantities of the mini are extremely low due to display production issues, with Apple turning to Samsung to help with production. Apple did also launch its Personal Pickup option for the Retina iPad mini yesterday, with stores seeing quick sellouts of many models. Walk-in sales of the device will apparently not be offered until supplies improve.
Popular Stories
Apple today seeded the second release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the first RCs. The first iOS 18.2 RC had a build number of 22C150, while the second RC's build number is 22C151. Release candidates represent the final version of beta software that's expected to see a ...
Apple seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.2 today, which means it's going to see a public launch imminently. Release candidates represent the final version of new software that will be provided to the public should no last minute bugs be found, and Apple includes release notes with the RC launch.
The iOS 18.2 release notes provide a look at all of the new features that are coming...
In 2025, Apple is planning to debut a thinner version of the iPhone that will be sold alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This iPhone 17 "Air" will be about two millimeters thinner than the current iPhone 16 Pro, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
The iPhone 16 Pro is 8.25mm thick, so an iPhone 17 that is 2mm thinner would come in at around 6.25mm. At 6.25mm,...
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls...
Apple's forthcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel TrueDepth camera on the front, according to details revealed in a new Korean supply chain report.
ET News reports that Korea-based LG Innotek is the main supplier of the front and rear camera modules for the more budget-friendly ~$400 device, which is expected to launch in the first quarter of...
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for.
Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
Apple plans to remove the notch from the MacBook Pro in a few years from now, according to a roadmap shared by research firm Omdia.
The roadmap shows that 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models released in 2026 will have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display, instead of a notch. It is unclear if there would simply be a pinhole in the display, or if Apple would expand the iPhone's...
Norwegian payment service Vipps has become the world's first company to launch a competing tap-to-pay solution to Apple Pay on iPhone, following Apple's agreement with European regulators to open up its NFC technology to third parties.
Starting December 9, Vipps users in Norway can make contactless payments in stores using their iPhones. The service initially supports customers of SpareBank...
