Launch of iPad 2.0 Will Benefit Taiwanese Companies

Taipei, Aug. 19, 2010 (CENS)--Witnessing great success of its iPad tablet PC, Apple Inc. is allegedly to unveil iPad 2.0 by the end of this year at the earliest to satisfy Apple-maniacs all around the world, and is expected to add more Taiwanese companies to its supply chain of the new device, according to industry sources.

Impervious to economic uncertainties that industry insiders have argued since the beginning of the third quarter of this year, iPhone and iPad have become Apple's top-sellers around the world. A market survey institute, iSupply, has recently adjusted upward its projection for iPad sales at 12.9 million units for this year and 36.5 million units for next year.

Apple is reportedly to launch iPad 2.0 by the end of this year, which, industry insiders note, adopts a 7-inch IPS (in-plane switching) display and is lighter than iPad.

To avoid over-dependence on single suppliers, Apple is believed to include more new partners in the supply chain, which will surely benefit its Taiwanese contract suppliers. Accordingly, Taiwan-based Chimei Innolux Corp., affiliated with the world's largest EMS (electronics manufacturing service) provider, Hon Hai Group, which is also the exclusive assembler of Apple's iPhone and iPad, will probably be contracted to supply IPS displays for iPad 2.0.

Coincidentally, AU Optronics Corp.'s reinvested company Cando Corp., a manufacturer of sensors used in touchscreen panels, is expected to become part of Apple's supply chain of iPad 2.0. In addition, Compal Electronics Inc. or Pegatron Corp., both Taiwanese EMS providers, is likely to be chosen as Apple's second assembler of iPad.

On another front, some Taiwanese firms have been fretted with iPad's rise, as the growing popularity of the product has suppressed growth of the markets for similar devices, especially netbook PCs and e-book readers. For example, Asustek Computer Inc., which has effectively cashed in on own-brand netbook PCs in the global market over the past two years, has been forced to cut its projection of shipment for this year.