Tag Archives: touch panel

Apple adds third supplier of iPad 2 touchscreen components

Chimei Innolux Corp. is joining TPK Holding Corp. and Wintek Corp. as the third provider of touch panel sensors for the Apple iPad 2. Chimei will begin supplying the panels next month, Bloomberg said. TPK and Wintek will still be the primary suppliers of the touch panels, but Chimei's contribution will help Apple meet the growing demand for its popular tablet device.

Demand for the iPad 2 is "amazing," Apple's spokesperson Trudy Miller said. The tablet device flew off retail store shelves when it launched earlier this year, and demand has been high ever since. Despite being available in several retail channels including Toys R Us, Wal-Mart and Best Buy, the iPad 2 is still difficult to find in stores, and the wait time for online orders is still 2-3 weeks.

Incidentally, this deal with Chimei will help solidify Apple's position with Foxconn, the primary assembler of the iPhone and iPad. Chimei was formed last year when Foxconn-owned Innolux Display merged with Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp. and TPO Displays Corp.

Apple adds third supplier of iPad 2 touchscreen components originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple’s touch panel demand helped delay RIMs PlayBook

RIM announced its PlayBook tablet last year, and eager BlackBerry fans have been waiting months for this QNX-based tablet to debut. According to a rumor from Digitimes, this wait was made even longer thanks to Apple and its stranglehold on the touch panel market. Asian supply chain sources suggest Apple used its treasure chest of cash to secure touch panels for its iOS devices, leaving other manufacturers out in the cold.

RIM reportedly delayed the PlayBook while it secured touch panels and put the finishing touches on its tablet OS. Digitimes is notoriously hit or miss with its insider information, but in this case, its report may be accurate. Apple is known for its ability to secure critical device components from Asian suppliers before its competition. A few years ago Apple cornered the market on NAND Flash for its iPhone and iPods while other manufacturers were left scrambling for the scraps.

Apple's touch panel demand helped delay RIMs PlayBook originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple could agree to component price hike to secure touchscreens

iPad 2 Teardown

Contending with seemingly insatiable demand for its new iPad 2, Apple is pondering paying higher prices for touch panel components, according to a report from DigiTimes on Wednesday. Manufacturers in Taiwan claim Apple is more open to certain price hikes during negotiations as the California company tries to secure a sufficient supply of components for its popular touchscreen products.

Higher component prices, in the short term, will shrink Apple's gross margins on three of its hottest selling products: the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. But securing adequate availability of touch panels should help the company relieve some of the constraints in its global supply chain. Such a deal would also put pressure on other consumer electronics companies to pay more for the components they need to build competing tablet computers and smartphones.

Apple currently faces incredible pressure from consumers and shareholders to address bottlenecks in the supply chain for its successful families of touch panel devices. Lead times for the new iPad 2 ballooned to 4-5 weeks in its first few days on the US market, and the tablet goes on sale to a broader, global market this Friday. Apple reportedly expects to ship 40 million iPads in 2011. The company is also expected to launch its next generation iPhone later this year.

The earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan earlier this month further fueled concerns over possible touch panel supply shortages. According to AppleInsider, a recent report suggested Foxconn, Apple's manufacturing partner, has only two or three weeks' worth of touch panels stockpiled. If the situation in Japan doesn't improve, Foxconn could deplete its stock of touch panel components.

Despite these concerns, DigiTimes believes Apple is well positioned to weather a shortage of touch panels. Apple has already booked an estimated 60 percent of the world's touch panel output capacity. As the global market leader in touchscreen devices, Apple will continue to control the lion's share of the world's touch panel supply and enjoy lower component pricing than its competition. "Supply for touch panel[s]...will be more smooth for Apple," concluded DigiTimes.

[via AppleInsider]

Apple could agree to component price hike to secure touchscreens originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple Secures 60% of Touch-Panel Capacity for iPad 2 – Competitors Scramble


One of Apple’s most overlooked strengths is its ability to manage its supply chain, giving it a competitive advantage over rival manufactures.  Apple has demonstrated this strength again, reportedly securing 60% of global touch panel capacity, causing supply constraints for other vendors planning to build tablets.

According to Taiwanese website DigiTimes, Apple has secured touch panel capacity to meet demand for iPads in 2011. The websites’ sources claim Apple placed large orders with all of its iPad suppliers and that OEM vendors are having issues meeting demand due to low yield of touch panels.

Sources from tablet PC makers also pointed out that the component shortage is causing their shipment volumes to be unable to catch up with their orders, especially for second-tier players. Touch panels are currently suffering the most serious shortage due to Apple holding control over the capacity of major touch panel makers such as Wintek and TPK, and with US-based RIM, Motorola and Hewlett-Packard (HP) also competing for related components, second-tier players are already out of the game, the sources noted.

DigiTimes’ component supplier sources claim that the shortage is limited to glass capacitive touch panels and that thin-film capacitive touch panels, mainly used in smartphones, are still available.  Most tablet manufacturers prefer not to use thin-film panels as they are less durable and don’t have the same touch characteristics as the more widely used glass displays.

Apple’s move to secure such a large portion of the touch-panel capacity has forced other vendors such as HP and Samsung to get their screens from smaller touch-panel suppliers like Sintek Photronic. According to DigiTimes, “Apple’s strategy of taking up most of the capacity should help the company quickly expand its sales, while reducing its competitors’ shipment growth.”

Apple is expected to release the new iPad 2 within the next 60 days and other rumors point to Apple possibly releasing an iPad 3 as soon as this fall.   To meet the demand for its new tablets, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Apple secure other component capacity, causing further supply chain issues for its competitors.

» Related posts: