LG: 'Apple may have to delay launches of the iPad for some countries'

We're not certain how many screen suppliers Apple has at this point, but LG is certainly a major player, so our ears tend to perk up when the Korean manufacturer admits it can't stay ahead of the game. LG CEO Kwon Young-Soo told reporters the firm just can't keep up with incredible demand for the iPad's brilliant 9.7-inch IPS display, and suggested that Cupertino might actually have to slow international expansion as a direct result. "Apple may have to delay launches of the iPad for some countries due to tight component supplies and strong demand," he said, adding that even if the firm were to increase production capacity, supplies would remain tight through early 2011. Residents of Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and The Netherlands came in under the wire, but it sounds like there may be another wait for the rest of the world.

[Wesscoast Posted Jul 25th 2010 6:25PM]

@MuahMan

I didn't know LG had a monopoly on "screens"

[MuahMan Posted Jul 25th 2010 7:01PM]

@HKCally It would drive the price of the iPad way up. Hopefully to the point where nobody will waste money on one. Not to mention it would be worth it just to see Steve Jobs whine some more.

[RawlsRorty Posted Jul 25th 2010 7:58PM]

@MuahMan
Meanwhile in the real world, LG realizes that Samsung also makes iPad displays. Furthermore, unlike nerds arguing on the internet, LG has no incentive to see demand for the iPad tank. The real money they make off each iPad sold is better than the hypothetical money they might make selling their own tablet.

[vqro Posted Jul 25th 2010 8:17PM]

@RawlsRorty Yeah. Seriously, these losers hate Apple so much they don't want other folks to buy their products. Talk about not having a life at all.

[Aceyriot Posted Jul 25th 2010 5:22PM]

wasnt there a regulation in france that made it so all products must have easily removed batteries? that might pose another issue to speed of release

[trihy Posted Jul 25th 2010 5:39PM]

Still dont see any special to get one. I was expecting innovation of some kind, a little different UI, what happen to all the onscreen keyboard dilema?haptic? tactile feedback? the same onscreen KB from 2007 just works? There is nothing to improve?

[Killing Time Posted Jul 25th 2010 5:43PM]

@trihy thanks for letting us know your keen insights.

[HKCally Posted Jul 25th 2010 5:45PM]

@Killing Time
Thanks for letting us know your unfunny joke.

[trihy Posted Jul 25th 2010 9:06PM]

@Killing Time Lets see how it does through time. Maybe people that never used a tabletpc can find it usefull. I could buy one just for family casual use, like showing pictures in meetings. For personal use, still dont get it imho.

[pika2000 Posted Jul 25th 2010 9:14PM]

Err, I don't know if this is a good thing for LG to say. Should be classified as CEOh no you didn't. I mean sure, LG cannot make them fast enough, but then you don't announce it to the world telling how your customer's (Apple) business is going to be. Suppliers in variety of businesses have issues all the time, but they don't talk like this about their buyers.

[Mishka Posted Jul 25th 2010 10:51PM]

Yes, the strange comments about the iPad being, "just a big iPod Touch" are very amusing. I also remember when certain people balked (Steve Ballmer included, of course) at those of us who bought the first iPhones too -- "You paid hundreds of dollars for a PHONE?!" No, dipshit, we paid hundreds of dollars for a wide-screen handheld computer with an integrated App Store, internet capability, a camera, plus a thousand others goodies -- oh, and a phone.

There are the believers who see the future and make it happen; and there are those who attempt to make the believers look like fools, until the reality of it all slaps them in the face.

Welcome to tomorrow.

[iamajim Posted Jul 25th 2010 11:00PM]

WGASA

[scotty1024 Posted Jul 25th 2010 11:43PM]

@fysician try reading my post next time.

Evidently _you_ would push the workers to make more panels.

I suggested I'd be asking, and rewarding, the workers for ways to speed up the process.

From what I've read it's a highly automated process but still something as simple as JeeHai stepping forward and volunteering that the yield seems to drop off when they serve sea cucumber for lunch on Thursday's could lead to improving production rates.

You might also wish to do some math. At a production rate of 1 million panels per month that's one finished panel every 2.56 seconds. A few seconds here and there down the line could seriously enhance production.

[JojoMojo Posted Jul 26th 2010 2:37AM]

iSaga: Tale of iLovers vs iHaters
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Media: "Apple is coming out with a brand new iProduct. Nobody knows what it is." *Anticipation everywhere...*

iLover: *without really knowing much about the product* "It is going to be awesome."

iHater: *without really knowing much about the product* "It is going to suck. The product will be a flop. iLovers are stupid."

Apple: *comes out with product*. 'It is going to be "magical" and "revolutionary".'

iHater: "The specs suck. iProduct is only a bigger/smaller/different (select one) iProductX. Why would anyone buy this iCrap? iLovers are stupid."

iLover: "I love it. It does things better. The hardware and software mesh together well. It is easy to use."

iHater: "iLovers are stupid."

Apple: "We sold gazillions of iProduct. Can't make enough of them."

Media: "We think the product is well designed. The hardware is good. The specs may not be the best but it works better than others."

iHater: "Media is biased. Joshua Topolsky is an Apple shrill."

iLover (to iHater): "See I told you iProduct will be a hit. You said it will be a flop, you were wrong."

iHater: "I never said that. And even if it is a hit, it doesn't matter. Everyone knows anyone who buys anything from Apple is stupid, ignorant and just taking up space. iLovers are stupid."

[Leegh229 Posted Jul 26th 2010 6:53AM]

@JojoMojo I'm telling you, ihaters just pick on anything apple pulls out, even a biased media ( which they certainly aren't) and making apple fans stupid are absurd things to say

[lantinian Posted Jul 26th 2010 4:28AM]

I just wish Apple could manufacture more iPads that they could sell from the get go. The they would have been able to sell enough to make ipad hater swallow their own medicine 10 fold.

Just imagine, a device between a laptop and a smartphone should potentially also sell somewhere between the two in terms of numbers, right

Laptop shipments for 2009 were 13 million , while smartphones were at 175 million. Netbook for 2009 were 33 million and since the iPad is arguably a more versatile device, Apple had a market for probably 50 million devices a year all to itself.

To catch up to the demand the current production rate of 2 million a month would have to be doubled!

Apple could have already sold 12 million if they had the units available in stores...

[Wesscoast Posted Jul 26th 2010 8:06AM]

@lantinian

"Just imagine, a device between a laptop and a smartphone should potentially also sell somewhere between the two in terms of numbers, right"

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic, but if not, your logic is massively flawed.

[Whut Posted Jul 27th 2010 3:39AM]

Does any body know what frequencies an iPad 3G(?) sold in Shanghai or Hong Kong would operate on? I am a pilot and go to one or the other monthly and could even bring it back there for warranty if necessary. I despise ATT and have sworn not to give them another nickel for the rest of my life. Most airline people have an unlocked phone and a SIM card collection for all the countries they go to, would this work with an "international" iPad? Is there a best country, that would have the most frequencies, to buy it in?