Distorted-Loop.com

Manufacturing problems are alleged to have delayed Apple’s iPad shipments, according to a Chinese report picked up on by Digitimes.

Taiwan’s touch panel supplier Wintek has been facing a manufacturing bottleneck in touch panel production, the report explains, and “its low yield rate for touch panels has hampered its shipments to Apple”.

Wintek has already moved to counter this claim, telling local stock exchange officials that “all of its operations have been running in line with its plans.” As you’d expect, it refused to comment on any individual clients.

Despite Wintek’s denial, Apple clearly doesn’t want to put all its iPad eggs inside one basked. The company has made a deal with Samsung under which the latter will also manufacture iPad screens.

Somewhat confusingly, this latter report states “The first iPads will feature screens made by LG Display and Chimei Innolux”. LG will remain the main supplier of screens for the iPad, having already signed up to supply 10 million panels.

Samsung Mobile Display also hopes to provide displays for this Summer’s 4G iPhones.  It is ramping up production of IPS LCD screens as part of its attempt. The screen inside the iPad costs five times that of the touchscreen fielded on the iPhone 3GS. Samsung is expected to deliver its own iPad competitor in future.

A related report suggests Taiwan-based passive components makers, including Yageo, Cyntec, Mag.Layers Scientific-Technics and TXC will benefit from the release of the iPad.

That’s because Apple has selected Taiwan-based chip resistor, power choke, inductor and quartz component makers as suppliers for its products.

“iPad adopts 0201 chip resistors and may use 01005 products as well, said the sources.”