Shipments of the iPad are expected to be between 6 million and 6.5 million in the first quarter of 2011, on their way to 40 million for the calendar year, reports “DigiTimes” (http://macte.ch/vpbGG), quoting “sources from the supply chain.”
The article adds that 300,000-400,000 units of iPad 2 — expected to be unveiled today — will be turned out in the initial batch. “DigiTimes” says that about 1-1.5 million units worth of iPad inventory were in the channel in January. Since Apple only ordered about 1.8-2 million iPads in January, it indicates that Apple is already set to phase out the first-generation iPad and let the iPad 2 take its place, the article adds.