New iPad set to drive touch panel orders

As Apple prepare their upcoming iPad, touch panel suppliers are expected to see a dramatic increase in orders from the company.

The new model is reportedly using the thin film DITO (G/F2) touch panel structure as Apple's current iPad Mini. This means that TPK, a Taiwan based thin film supplier would be one of the biggest suppliers of the technology, as it has been for the iPad Mini.

Sources in Taipei have said that Apple have readjusted their shipment estimates  in 2012 to 33 million for the iPad and 55 million for the iPad Mini. This is a drop from the 40 million for the iPad Mini and 60 million for the iPad. They expect sales to be much lower than initially expected and that the iPad Mini will now outsell the bigger tablet.

Latest news would suggest that Samsung are trying to claim more sales from Apple for panels. They have dropped their panel prices to Apple for the iPad Mini after they lost out on sales due to legal disputes between the two companies in 2012.

Kitguru says: Sales expected to be down, but still high in 2013.

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