14 DAY TRIAL // In an Oct. 6 research note, Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White informs that Apple is developing a smaller version of its tablet computer, adding that Apple could ship as many as 45 million iPads in 2011.
White did not identify his Asia-based contact. However, he did say that this person’s employer supplies components for manufacturing iPads.
The contact allegedly shipped more than 6 million parts to Apple during the third quarter of the 2010, White said, adding that his contact believes Apple will sell as many as 45 million iPads in 2011.
White’s source believes the tablet will emerge in the first quarter of 2011 as a smaller device boasting “a screen that measures about seven inches,” according to a Forbes report citing the analyst.
“The new iPad will also include the high-resolution ‘Retina’ display that the latest version of the iPhone (4) boasts, a micro or mini USB port, a camera and greater capacity of up to 128 gigabytes,” the report adds, based on White’s Wednesday note.
According to Forbes, such specs should be able to put some complaints to rest, including the size and weight of the device, its inability to take photos or shoot video, and the difficulty of hooking it up to external devices like printers and scanners.
However, Apple is actively working on addressing at least the last-mentioned drawback in a future software update (iOS 4.2).
The site then speculates that the addition of a Retina display alongside built-in camera(s) will facilitate FaceTime video calling, a feature currently limited to iPhone and iPod touch.
Apple indeed seems interested in integrating FaceTime with all its portables. The company recently released a fourth-generation iPod touch capable of handling the standard via two built in cameras, on on the front, and one on the back of the device.
The addition of a camera on the iPad, Apple’s third iOS device in rank, seems logical at this point.