Apple’s second-generation iPad mini is also the second hardware product the company has announced this year without providing a firm launch date, and CEO Tim Cook confirmed on Apple’s recent earnings call that supply constraints are the reason. Apple’s Retina iPad mini is currently slated to launch sometime “later in November” and Cook said it is “unclear” if there will be enough supply at launch to meet pent-up demand. According to a new report from Digitimes, Apple fans who aren’t able to get their hands on a shiny new iPad mini this holiday season can blame Sharp. The site’s unnamed supply chain sources have said that Sharp, which has been tasked with supplying 40% of Apple’s Retina displays for the iPad mini, is still unable to make panels quickly enough to meet demand. LG Display has reportedly snagged the remaining 60% of Apple’s 7.9-inch Retina panel orders, and the report suggests its manufacturing process is not facing the same issues Sharp is currently dealing with.
If the Retina iPad mini is impossible to find this holiday season, blame Sharp
Published Oct 30th, 2013 4:05PM EDT
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Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.
His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.
