If a new report from Apple’s supply chain is anything to go by, Apple plans on shipping some five million iPad 2 units during the month of July. According to a brief report by DigiTimes, the company has placed orders for five million touch sensors specifically aimed for its second-generation tablet:
The fact that Apple also shipped five million iPad 2 units last month indicates healthy demand following the supply and product transition issues in the previous quarter. Also, with last quarter’s 4.69 million iPads added to this rate of five million units a month, Apple could as well ship some forty million iPads in the 2011 calendar year, besting analysts’ estimates…
The report piggy-backs on DigiTimes’ previous story calling for twelve million iPad 2 units during the third quarter of this year. Industry sources also told the publication that Apple has begun sourcing parts for the third-generation iPad which should debut in small quantities in September and in volume the following month. Sources call for an “even thinner and lighter” device than iPad 2, rocking the upped panel resolution of 250dpi. The new report arrives on the heels of yesterday’s story claiming that Apple has commissioned contract manufacturer Pegatron to ramp up manufacturing of the fifth-generation iPhone, which makes sense if Apple is to debut the handset this Fall. DigiTimes has a fairly accurate track record of rumor reporting, but they’ve also had their share of misses so you’re advised to take their reports with a healthy dose of skepticism.
