DMSD Insider: Rumor: LCD suppliers for 7.85-inch iPad Mini certified with production ready to ramp up

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Rumor: LCD suppliers for 7.85-inch iPad Mini certified with production ready to ramp up

Rumor: LCD suppliers for 7.85-inch iPad Mini certified with production ready to ramp up:

Taiwan-based publication Liberty Times (translated, via Makotakara) has shared an interesting bit of information this evening about the rumored 7.85-inch “iPad Mini”. The publication reports that LG and AU Optronics have been certified to supply the LCD panel for the iPad Mini. Furthermore, it goes on to say that both manufacturers are working to prepare to ship the panels for production, for a release sometime during the latter half of 2012. The target shipping amount for the iPad Mini is said to reach 6 million (which was previously reported), but with the influx of holiday sales, I’d say there will be a need for more.
Other iPad Mini part news includes that TPK Holding will be producing 4 million backlight modules and Chemi Innolux will be producing 2 million. As for the touch film sensor, it will be produced by Nissha Printing.
Rumors of the iPad Mini have been really ramping up over the last few months, as Apple is said to take on Amazon and other competitors with a smaller 7.85-inch offering, priced cheaper for customers who are just entering into the tablet market. Many are skeptical that this product would see the light of day from Apple, and the biggest argument against it comes from non other than late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who asserted one would need super-small fingers to navigate smaller 7-inch tablets.
According to rumors, the 7.85-inch iPad won’t feature a Retina display as one would certainly hope. Instead, Apple may include the pixel dimensions that were featured on the original iPad (1024 × 768). This type of display will help Apple cut costs and be able to sell the tablet at such a low price.

Notoriously inconsistent DigiTimes reported in early March that Apple plans to release the 7-inch iPad in August.
At any rate, a 7.85-inch iPad does sound likely for this year, especially with news on part suppliers. Anyone want to take a stab at what Apple will call it?