iSuppli: iPad Shaping Up as 2010's 'Tickle Me Elmo'

Posted 07/21/2010 at 7:27am | by Paul Lilly

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Will someone out there please come out with a competing tablet to Apple's iPad? Anyone? Eventually some company's going to answer our call, but until then, the iPad will continue to grow its userbase, shortcomings be damned.

Hopping out of its DeLorean, iSuppli says the future is littered with tens of millions of iPads, starting with 12.9 million units by the end of 2010. That's almost double the original forecast of 7.1 million units made back in early April. While visiting the year 2011, iSuppli said it counted 36.5 million iPads, while 50.4 million Apple-branded tablets led the way in 2012.

"The iPad is shaping up to be the 'Tickle Me Elmo' of the 2010 holiday season, with product demand expected to vastly exceed available supply," said Rhoda Alexander, director of monitor research for iSuppli. "Apple has hiked its iPad manufacturing goals to suppliers across Asia. As iSuppli stated in its initial forecast, the key to continuing success will be how quickly Apple responds to issues as they arise and whether the company can align suppliers to meet demand needs. Apple's acceleration of its component demand indicates that the company has raised its iPad production target for 2010. Our latest research indicates there is much higher production than previously expected for two key components: LCD panels and NAND flash."

As iSuppli explains it, the limiting factor on iPad sales isn't demand, but production. And even though there's a spate of competing models on the horizon, iSuppli further predicts Apple will refresh the iPad as early as April 2011, adding features like a front-facing camera, varying screen sizes, and other amenities.