Dec 7, 2010 08:06 GMT  ·  By

A source that generally takes it upon itself to dish out Apple hardware rumors is reporting that “Foxconn Electronics' (Hon Hai Precision Industry’s) plants in Shenzhen, China have recently been notified they will ship Apple's iPad 2 within the next 100 days.”

In fact, Mac maker’s entire range of upstream component partners have all been notified of this shipments schedule, the source reports.

According to industry publication DigiTimes, initial shipments are to reach 400,000-600,000 units, which corroborates an earlier report from the source saying that suppliers would ramp up shipments of iPad 2 components in the first quarter of 2011.

Citing sources from Taiwan-based component makers, Digitimes reveals that “iPad 2 will ship as soon as the end of February in 2011”, and that Foxconn declined to comment on rumors regarding its products or clients.

There’s more. Apparently, Apple was planning to launch its next-generation tablet ahead of the one-year cycle, “but because the device's firmware is currently still in testing, Apple has been postponing the schedule,” the Taiwan sources reportedly indicated.

The publication also concludes that Apple’s iPad 2 will be mainly supplied by its Shenzhen plants, since Foxconn's new plants in Chengdu are still in pilot production.

According to the same publication, November saw Apple tap Taiwan supplier Largan Precision to provide the camera lens in the second-generation iPad.

As Foxconn, Largan Precision declined to comment on market rumors at the time. The report, however, mentioned that Largan will be the sole lens module supplier for Apple's upcoming iPad 2 “with shipments to kick off in the first quarter of 2011.”

The information reportedly stemmed from a company filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE). Adding credence to the rumor, Largan is also known to be supplying the lens modules for Apple’s iPhone 4.

In another report, the same source also informed that Apple had contracted Qualcomm  to provide the baseband chips for its upcoming iPhone 5 and iPad 2.