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Apple orders hint at iPad Mini shipment decline

The company is reportedly cutting its iPad Mini display orders nearly in half as it anticipates a drawdown in demand for the tablet.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
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Apple's iPad Mini
Apple's iPad Mini Apple

Apple's iPad Mini could be entering a rough few months, according to the latest information the sometimes-spotty DigiTimes.

The blog on Friday reported that AU Optronics, the company that supplies panels for Apple's iPad Mini, will only ship 2.5 million to 2.8 million units to manufacturers in the second calendar quarter, down from the 4 million it shipped in the first quarter.

According to DigiTimes, which is citing "supply chain sources" who claim to have knowledge of the drawdown, Apple cut orders in anticipation of a slowdown in iPad Mini shipments for the rest of the second quarter. That slowdown is due to a general disinterest among consumers to buy new devices during the summer season.

Still, it should be a somewhat strong second quarter for Apple: it'll ship 10 million iPad Mini units during the period, according to DigiTimes' sources. The remaining 7 million or so panels will be supplied by LG Display.