Global tablet shipments are expected to drop 15 or maybe 20% in the first 3 months of 2014, according to Taiwanese supply chain makers. Digitimes Research estimated that Apple will register a decline of iPad shipments by 22.7% sequentially to 18 million units in the first quarter from 26 million in the previous quarter.
Makers in the same supply chain claim that total iPad shipments will reach 20 million in the first quarter, so they’re more optimistic. WitsView is saying that Apple purchased a total of 30.35 million flat panels for iPads in Q4 last year, including 6 million for the iPad Mini model and 7.49 million for the Retina iPad Mini.
Finally, they got 17 million for the 9.7 inch iPad and for the first quarter of 2014 the purchased Apple display units will total 25.8 million units, with 4.4 million for the iPad Mini and 7.4 million for the Retina iPad Mini. 14 million go to the 9.7 incher. Samsung will narrow its gap against Apple, taking advantage of this lower shipment period.
