iPad 3 Display Shipments Nearing 3 Million Units with Assembly Set for January Start

Just yesterday, Digitimes noted that Apple had reduced its fourth-quarter orders for iPad 2 display components in order to accommodate production of iPad 3 parts. Apple's strategy has apparently involved boosting production of iPad 2 parts during the third quarter and stockpiling them as it begins the transition to the iPad 3 this quarter.

white ipad 2 oblique
Digitimes now expands upon that information in a new report claiming that Apple's iPad 3 display panel suppliers Samsung, LG, and Sharp will have delivered approximately three million units to Apple's manufacturing chain by the end of this month.

Samsung Electronics, LG Display and Sharp reportedly shipped a total of one million units of high-resolution flat panels for next-generation iPads to Apple in October and will ramp up shipments to two million units in November, according to industry sources.

The report notes that the touch module component that is comparable to the one found in the iPad 2 should begin shipping from TPK and Wintek imminently as Apple's iPad manufacturing partner Foxconn is apparently targeting a January 2012 start for assembly. That timeframe appears to be in line with rumors of an early 2012 launch for the iPad 3, potentially around March or April as with the past two generations.

The report also reiterates claims of display manufacturers having sampled 7.85-inch screens for Apple, but it is unclear how independent Digitimes' claim is from the earlier report.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro's alleged design via Front Page Tech Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 Coming in June With These New Features

Thursday March 20, 2025 2:04 pm PDT by
While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far. visionOS-Like Design In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19. According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app...
iOS 18

Top 5 New Features Coming in iOS 18.4

Friday March 21, 2025 3:26 pm PDT by
We're not getting new Siri Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.4 as expected, but the upcoming update does have quite a few new additions that will be worth upgrading for. We've rounded up the five best features to look forward to, and if you're not running the beta, you can expect to get access to these in early April. Priority Notifications If you have an iPhone or iPad that supports...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 Release Candidate With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music and More

Monday March 24, 2025 10:07 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth betas. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. With iOS 18.4, Apple is adding the Priority Notifications...
airpods max 2024 colors

Don't Buy Into Apple's Hype About AirPods Max Gaining Lossless Audio

Monday March 24, 2025 4:24 pm PDT by
Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4. For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3, and Apple's own Advanced Audio Codec...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Foldable iPhone Expected to Launch Next Year, Costing Around $2,000

Monday March 24, 2025 3:43 am PDT by
Apple will launch its long-rumored foldable iPhone next year with a ~$2,000 premium price tag attached, expects well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. Gurman's comments on Apple's launch plans for its first foldable device appeared in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter. Earlier this month, the reporter said Apple's foldable iPhone could be arriving "as early as 2026,"...

Top Rated Comments

jhende7 Avatar
174 months ago
Retina display = instant sale

if not, Kindle Fire.
So the iPad has to use cutting edge technology, that today doesn't exist, or your going to buy a cheap product that isn't even in the same product category?

Tis like saying If the next Lamborghini has hovercraft abilities = instant buy

If not, Ford fiesta.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jhende7 Avatar
174 months ago
Most idiotic thing i have heard today. Basically sounds like you have to choose from awesome device like iPad 2 and crappy device like Kindle Fire and you are saying if Apple doesn't make A. B. C. and make uber awesome device you will settle for crappy device over already awersome device.

Idiotic.

On a related note:

Cash ready for iPad 3.

If Charlize Theron got a boob job= instant bang

If not, Sarah Jessica Parker
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
praetorian909 Avatar
174 months ago
So what res is it going to be?

I want to believe! :D

The truth is out there!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tiger8 Avatar
174 months ago
I want to believe! :D
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jerome Morrow Avatar
174 months ago
Retina display = instant sale

if not, Kindle Fire.
Most idiotic thing i have heard today. Basically sounds like you have to choose from awesome device like iPad 2 and crappy device like Kindle Fire and you are saying if Apple doesn't make A. B. C. and make uber awesome device you will settle for crappy device over already awersome device.

Idiotic.

On a related note:

Cash ready for iPad 3.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
douglaswilliams Avatar
174 months ago
How rumors get started...

iPad 3 with a resolution of: 2048 x 1536 = 3,145,728

PI ~= 3.141592 --> 3,141,592

3,145,728 - 3,141,592 = 4136

www.4136.com is a website owned by some company in Shanghai, China.

Therefore, I predict the display for the iPad 3 will be manufactured somewhere in Asia, most likely China.

On another note, it might be called the iPie and be round instead of rectangle!

Rumors, rumors...
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)