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- The waiting continues.
Consumers waiting for a 12.9-inch iPad will be disappointed to hear that Apple has delayed the production of the larger iPad. Sources, with knowledge of Apple’s plans, told Bloomberg Business that the production of the 12.9-inch iPad will be postponed in September, citing supply issues with display panels as the reason.
One source, who asked not to be identified, said that Apple was planning to begin the production of the larger iPad this quarter. Currently, Apple has two sizes: a 9.7-inch iPad and a 7.9-inch iPad mini. Although Apple hasn’t confirmed plans of a larger iPad, rumors of an iPad Pro are circulating on the Internet.
Apple’s current suppliers of display panels—Sharp, Japan Display, LG, and others—are struggling. LG Display, for example, dropped 1.8 percent. Sharp is down by 2.6 percent, while Japan Display fell 1.3 percent. Additionally, Apple’s iPad sales have stalled, selling 16.3 million iPads in the second quarter of 2014—a far cry from the 19.5 million sales record in 2013. In spite of this, Tim Cook believes that Apple can turn the tables around.
Given the case, a larger iPad could indeed revive Apple’s tablet market. Consumers have been waiting for Apple to launch a bigger iPad, and Tim Cook is keen to meet the demand. If Apple is indeed working on a 12.9-inch tablet, it will be a boon to businesses and professionals, who are looking to replace their laptops with tablets from Apple.
