DigiTimes

DigiTimes reports that suppliers of the backlight unit (BLU) for the next-generation iPad have been selected, quashing speculation that Apple might turn to OLED for display technology in the revised tablet device. According to the report, Taiwanese firm Coretronic has been selected to supply BLUs to iPad display vendors Chimei Innolux and LG Display, with Radiant Opto-Electronics also supplying...

Digitimes reports that Foxconn Electronics factories have recently been notified that they will ship Apple's next generation iPad within the next 100 days with initial shipments to reach 400,000-600,000 units. The sources pointed out that the iPad 2 will ship as soon as the end of February in 2011. Apple originally planned to start mass production in January, but because the device's firmware is ...

Feeding rumors and expectations that Apple will include at least a front-facing camera in the next-generation iPad, DigiTimes reports that market rumors in the region are pegging Taiwanese firm Largan Precision as having been selected to provide camera lens modules for the device. The company, however, refuses to comment on the rumors. Largan Precision has declined to comment on market rumors...

DigiTimes reports that Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn has opened up its first iPad production lines at its new plants in Chengdu, China. While the new lines are only capable of producing 300,000 units per month, Foxconn plans to expand it capabilities in Chengdu to 50 production lines capable of manufacturing 40 million iPads per year. Foxconn had previously refuted claims that the...

A pair of reports today are rekindling anticipation for the next-generation iPad, with one note from DigiTimes suggesting that Apple has already locked in an initial set of circuit board suppliers for the forthcoming device, with more suppliers set to come online in February to support what is expected to be a very significant build rate. Ibiden, Tripod Technology and TTM Technologies have been...

Following on a report from earlier today claiming that Foxconn/Hon Hai will assist in the production of CDMA-based iPhones to the tune of 15 million units in 2011, DigiTimes now reports that Pegatron will be contributing ten million of its own units next year, yielding a total of 25 million CDMA-based iPhones for 2011. Pegatron Technology internally expects its Apple CDMA iPhone shipments to...

DigiTimes briefly reports that an executive from Sintek Photronics has denied claims from late last week that the company has shipped samples of touchscreen panels to Apple for testing in a touch-capable iMac. Barry Wu, VP and spokesperson of Sintek Photronics has denied reports that the company is sampling projected capacitive touch panels for Apple's iMac.Rumors and an Apple patent application ...

Drawing from Apple patent application DigiTimes reports that Apple has received samples of large-size touch panels that would be used in a new touch-capable iMac. According to the report, Sintek Photronics is utilizing projected capacitance touch technology for the panels. Projected capacitive touch panels are typically produced by placing touch sensors over the panel, and then a cover glass...

In a brief tidbit posted today, DigiTimes claims that Apple manufacturing partner Quanta is scheduled to ship 400,000-500,000 "MacBooks" carrying an 11.6-inch screen size before the end of this year, suggesting that a release may be near. Meanwhile, Quanta has reportedly landed orders for 11.6-inch MacBooks from Apple. Shipments of 11.6-inch MacBooks are expected to top 400,000-500,000 units in...

Digitimes reports that touch panel and glass suppliers are completing validation for Apple's second generation iPad. Apple is expected to launch the second-generation iPad in the first-quarter of 2011, the suppliers noted.Component shipments are expected in the beginning of 2011 with...

DigiTimes reports that Apple is adding another supplier of touch panels for the iPad, likely addressing what has been thought to be the primary bottleneck on production rates for the device. Cando, a subsidiary of AU Optronics (AUO), is scheduled to start shipping 9.7-inch touch sensors for Apple's iPad from its newly reformed 4.5G production line in September-October 2010. Overall output of...

DigiTimes today offers a number of claims related to Apple's iOS platform, agreeing with other recent reports that the Verizon iPhone will launch in January, with new 9.7" and 7" iPads and iOS-based Apple TV also set for introduction early next year. - iPad: DigiTimes claims that Apple will refresh its iPad in the first quarter of 2011, moving to a processor based on ARM's Cortex-A9 design,...

Digitimes reports that Apple is preparing two updates for the second half of 2010. The first is said to be an 11.6-inch MacBook Air featuring a Intel Core i-series ultra-low voltage processor. An 11.6-inch display would be notably smaller than the current 13.3-inch screen found in the current MacBook Air. Kuo, citing discussions with upstream component makers, noted that the 11.6-inch...

DigiTimes today reports on rumors that Apple is looking to launch its second-generation iPad as soon as the fourth quarter of this year, adding OLED-based 5.6-inch and 7-inch models to its existing 9.7-inch LED display model. The sources noted that Apple has recently placed new iPad orders to Taiwan-based component makers for the fourth quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of 2011 with 9.7-inch,...

According to a new report from DigiTimes, Apple has pushed orders with its suppliers for iPad production well beyond two million units for the month of July, marking a continued increase in supplies as the company seeks to keep up with demand in existing markets as well as expand into new countries. Apple is estimated to have outsourced 2.3-2.35 million iPads to Taiwan players in July with 58-60%...

A brief new report from DigiTimes estimates Apple's current iPad shipments at 1.2 million per month, up from 700,000 at launch and set to increase to as much as 2.5 million per month by the end of the year. If true, the data confirms very strong sales performance for Apple's tablet device that could see the company exceeding even the most robust analyst estimates. As iPad production continues ...

DigiTimes reports that Taiwanese manufacture is set to deliver a CDMA version of iPhone 4, which would be compatible with Verizon's network in the United States, to Apple in the fourth quarter of this year. Pegatron will also start shipping a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 to Apple in the fourth quarter and is currently using its plants in Shanghai, China to produce the products, the sources noted....

In a report today, DigiTimes claims that the next-generation iPhone's display will see a number of improvements that will push it to the front of the pack among smartphones. The upgrades come as manufacturer Foxconn appears to be planning to ship 24 million of the next-generation iPhones during 2010. The next-generation iPhone's display has been the topic of significant discussion since Daring...

In a brief note, DigiTimes reports that Apple appears to planning to launch a smaller version of the iPad as soon as the first quarter of next year, bringing a sub-$400 price tag to a device carrying a display of 5-7 inches. Apple is reportedly scheduling a smaller 5- to 7-inch version of the iPad that is expected to launch as soon as the first quarter of 2011, according to Digitimes Research...