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Asia chatter predicts increase in cost of Retina iPad Mini

Chatter in Asia has it that the total cost of the iPad Mini could increase by almost a third -- though no word on whether that would impact price.

Commentary in Digitimes, which is close to the chain of component suppliers in Asia, said the jump to a Retina screen means adding costly display components.

If iPad mini adopts the Retina display, the dots per inch (DPI) will be higher and the brightness of the backlight modules will have to improve. This also means the number of LEDs used will...[increase the total cost] by more than 30% if it … Read more

The iPad Mini design explained

So, why did Apple go with an unremarkable display for its iPad Mini and how is this related to the overall design? An IHS iSuppli analyst explains.

The iPad Mini sports an average-resolution display that falls short of the super-high-resolution Retina displays on most of Apple's other mobile products like the 9.7-inch iPad, iPhone, and iPod.

I asked Vinita Jakhanwal, a display analyst at IHS iSuppli, to give me her thoughts about Apple's design decisions.

"I think there are a lot of other issues involved in creating a new form factor device," Jakhanwal said.

"… Read more

Phantom iPad Mini 'delayed'

Rumors about an iPad Mini arriving in October have taken a shellacking over the last couple of days.

First, the expected October 10 invites didn't go out. Now a report in Digitimes claims there's a production delay -- a delay that could mean the device won't show up till after October.

If there is a device. The iPad Mini is, of course, an unconfirmed product to begin with. So it's hard to say with a straight face that a rumored product can actually be delayed.

(Update: A report now says the event will take place on … Read more

Total Android shipments since 2008 to hit 1 billion mark

Android device shipments are poised to pass the 1 billion unit mark in 2013, according to projections by IHS.

IHS said that global unit shipments of Android phones will be 451 million in 2013, up from 357 million in 2012. Cumulative shipments by the end of 2013 will be 1.1 billion since the first Android device shipped in 2008.

For comparison, Apple's cumulative iPhone shipments will be 527 million in 2013 and hit the 1 billion mark in 2015.

Android's growth is largely attributed to its partner network, which consists of Samsung, HTC, Motorola, LG, ZTE and … Read more

Apple is the biggest chip buyer -- and getting bigger

PARIS -- Apple is the biggest buyer of microprocessors today -- and it's getting bigger.

The semiconductor industry produces all kinds of chips for memory, running software, communicating over networks, and more. And Apple, by virtue of its booming iPhone and iPad business, is a voracious consumer, said Dale Ford, head of IHS iSuppli's electronics and semiconductor research business. Samsung is in second place, and also growing fast, he added, speaking at the analyst firm's Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) Summit here.

In 2009, Apple was one of the herd, spending about $9 billion on semiconductors. This … Read more

If Web movie views double, Netflix -- not content -- is king

Netflix executives should be whooping it up.

IHS Screen Digest predicts more movie viewing will occur online rather than with DVDs or Blu-ray discs this year. Not only did the research firm say that Netflix's popularity helped fuel Internet film consumption, but it added that the company owns a significant percentage of that growing market.

If the prediction proves true, Netflix should see its share of growth this year. Also, a world where Internet-delivery is king means the company -- the Web's top video-rental service -- should be in a stronger position to negotiate content licenses.

IHS forecasts … Read more

New iPad costs more to make, but Apple eats the difference

Apple is taking a hit for new iPad customers. That's because the company's bill of materials to make the next generation slates has apparently gone up, but the retail price has not.

According to an initial tear-down analysis by IHS iSuppli, the cost of parts found in the new iPad with 32GB of storage and 4G capability is 9 percent higher than that of an iPad 2 with a 3G radio. The report says the midrange new iPad costs Apple $364 for the parts, plus another $11 or so to assemble, for a grand total of $375, or just over 50 percent of the retail price of $729.… Read more

Apple to keep tablet lead over Android in 2012, say analysts

Apple will hold onto a big chunk of the tablet market in 2012, according to a report from IHS-iSuppli and a research note from Deutsche Bank today.

Apple will take back a bit of market share lost to Android in the fourth quarter, while maintaining more than the 60 percent of the market in 2012, according to iSuppli.

iSuppli's key points for iPad in 2012--Rhoda Alexander, analyst:

2012 market share: 61 percent, up from 57 percent in the fourth quarter, down one percentage point from the 62 percent share in 2011. 2012 total tablet shipments: on track to reach … Read more

Apple bests Samsung as buyer of tiny mics

Apple's purchases of micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphones during 2011 have put it ahead of Samsung as the largest buyer, according to a new report by IHS iSuppli.

The research firm says Apple purchased 349 million of the tiny microphones, which are built into its products, a 173 percent increase from the 128 million it bought in 2010. That beat out Samsung, which bought nearly 251 million units, representing a 90 percent increase from its own purchases in the preceding year.

IHS iSuppli attributes the massive growth, which gave Apple 27 percent of the MEMS microphone purchase market share in … Read more