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During the week of the new iPad’s release, Apple sold more than 3 million of the high resolution tablets, which quickly depleted stock and left new iPad seekers with a week or two wait for a shiny new toy.
That two week wait may drop significantly during the second quarter of 2012, as iPad assembler Foxconn is expected to ramp up production with shipments of 12 to 15 million iPads.
In comparison, the well-known Apple supplier only provided six million tablets during the first quarter, according to industry estimates. In contrast, iPad touch module suppliers TPK Holding and Wintek are expected to grow just 25 to 30 percent during the second quarter, shipping slightly more than the 10 million panels that they shipped during the first quarter.
According to DigiTimes, if the demand for Apple’s tablets does not keep up with the increased supply, touch panel manufacturers may be forced to lower shipment targets, due to a surplus.
What does that mean for you and I? If you’re looking to get an iPad in the next few months, there should be ample supply. In fact, there may be more than enough, cutting that two week wait down to just a couple of days.
That’s a huge change from the debut of the first and second iPads, which were both hard to find for several months after they were originally released. It only took two years, but Apple’s finally able to keep up with consumer demand.
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