14 DAY TRIAL // A report divulging information on Apple’s deals with iPad screen suppliers may provide the most clear indication as to why the company’s second-generation tablet PC experienced slow production and, consequently, delayed shipments.
Industry publication DigiTimes reports that LG Display, the company responsible for the iPad 2 LCD screen, was forced to reduce shipments in the first quarter due to light leakage problems.
A growing thread over at Apple’s forums has long indicated that this was the case with multiple iPad 2 units.
These panels were produced at LG’s sixth-generation production lines, the report notes.
And while Apple has now tapped Korea-based Samsung to be its primary supplier for iPad 2 (and perhaps iPad 3) screens, LG has reportedly fixed the light-bleeding problem and will resume shipment momentum to Apple in the second quarter.
Samsung is said to have produced a total of 4 million 9.7-inch IPS panels for Apple in the first quarter of this year, whereas LG was only able to deliver roughly 3.2 million units in the same timeframe.
The light-bleeding issues plaguing Apple’s iPad 2 have been reported as early as March, weeks after the device had been officially introduced, but mere days after the first lucky customers had received their units.
Soon thereafter, shipment times began to oscillate over at Apple’s online store where customers were sometimes told to expect their order to materialize in as much as 5 weeks.
However, it is all too well known that Apple had to weather out other issues as well in trying to cope with iPad 2 demand.
These include component shortages caused by the earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan soon after the iPad 2 debut, as reported by IHS iSuppli days after the disaster.
iPad 2 units now ship in 1-2 weeks according to the listings at Apple’s US online store.