Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has big plans for 2014. The Cupertino-based tech company reportedly wants Quanta to build a larger iPad tablet. Digitimes was the first to report that Quanta scored a contract to produce the tablet during the latter half of next year.
Digitimes sources’ claimed, “Quanta is expected to encounter several challenges in terms of industrial design and assembly when making the large-size iPad. And since the size is not the mainstream specification, order volumes are expected to be limited.”
A report from last week via The Korea Times reported the production of a 12.9 inch tablet computer with Retina display (which would be next year’s tablet) was already underway at a Korean supplier.
Apple iWatch expected to debut next year
In other Apple-related news, the highly anticipated iWatch is also expected to make its debut sometime next year. Inventec, Foxconn Electronics (also known as Hon Hai precision industry), and Quanta are also competing for iWatch orders. Digitimes’ source added, “As for the iWatch, component makers have already started the pilot production, but because of low yields, mass production is rumored to have been postponed from the first quarter of 2014 to the second. In addition to Inventec, Quanta and Foxconn have reportedly been invited by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to become manufacturing partners. However, their order proportions have not yet been decided.”
Recent iWatch rumors point towards two watches with 1.7 and 1.3 inch display sizes for men and women respectively. It would feature an OLED screen and run on iOS. Earlier this month, Paul Gagnon for NPD DisplaySearch said Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) was putting their rumored television on the back burner so the company could focus on their upcoming smartwatch.
Apple’s TV Plans
Gagnon added, “According to sources in the TV supply chain, it appears that Apple’s long-rumored TV plans, which were far from concrete anyway, have been put on hold again, possibly to be replaced by a rollout of wearable devices. Although many financial and industry analysts have been speculating about Apple’s entrance into the TV business via an actual TV (instead of the Apple TV “hobby” set-top-box) for years, during the last year the rumor-mill has shifted into high gear about a 2014 introduction. Indeed, our own information from TV supply chain sources pointed to the fact that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) appeared to be lining up resources for a product introduction in the second half of 2014, likely with 2-3 large screen sizes and 4K resolution. However, the hangup has always been the content.”
If the aforementioned rumors turn out to be true, 2014 will be a big year for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).
