Apple sold 4.69 million iPad 2 units during its last quarter but the company said it could have sold more if it could make more. a new report suggests the shortage could be attributed to a snag in production from LG Display. LG Display, which is a separate company than than the LG which makes devices like the Optimus Black, reportedly had some problems producing the needed 9.7-inch displays. Samsung is also a major supplier of panels for the Apple iPad. According to the report in the hit-or-miss DigiTimes:
LGD was forced to reduce its shipments in the first quarter due to light leakage problem for panels produced at its 6G production lines. The company reportedly has fixed the problem and will resume shipment momentum to Apple in the second quarter, said the sources.
The crazy thing about the Apple iPad 2 shortages is that the company has shelled out billions to secure components ahead of time, so there’s a chance demand could have even outpaced Apple’s projections.
That’s also why we haven’t seen a credible competitor come out at a significantly cheaper price. As good as the Motorola Xoom is, it could have benefited greatly from a cheaper price. That component issue should be solved as tablets get more mainstream and the costs go down, though.