New Technology Reviews!.: production

Apple allegedly approves Pegatron for iPad 3 production, but is not replacing Foxconn

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According to Taiwan Economic News, Taiwan-based Pegatron has outbid Foxconn for production of Apple's next-gen iPad (or "iPad 3" until/unless Steve Jobs gives it a better name). While other news outlets such as BGR are reporting this as an exclusive contract (meaning Foxconn would no longer produce the iPad 3), our interpretation differs. Instead, it seems Apple is diversifying production of the iPad 3 across both Foxconn and Pegatron.</div>
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"Hon Hai is likely to turn Apple's another contract order for iPad 3 manufacturing over the Taiwanese counterpart, as the customer has considered looking for a second iPad supplier to reduce over-dependence on Hon Hai," the Taiwanese report indicates (emphasis ours). The wording here seems to point to two factories producing the iPad 3, not just one.</div>
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Spreading iPad 3 production over two contractors makes more sense than shutting Foxconn out completely. Having two contractors manufacturing the iPad 3 should theoretically go a long way toward lightening the supply constraints that have plagued the iPad line from the beginning. Apple execs have repeatedly said that iPads are being sold "as fast as we can make them," and the only thing holding the iPad back from raking in even more profits for Apple has been Foxconn's inability to churn them out fast enough to satisfy demand.</div>
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Rather than abandoning Foxconn, adding Pegatron to the mix means iPad production should increase enough to satisfy the great demand for the device. Earlier reports indicated Apple was indeed looking for a second supplier for iPad 3 units, not an outright replacement for Foxconn. A later report indicated Hon Hai (owner of Foxconn) said it would be able to handle production of the iPad 3 all by itself, but if the latest report from Taiwan Economic News is accurate, Apple apparently disagrees.</div>
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Apple allegedly approves Pegatron for iPad 3 production, but is not replacing Foxconn

According to Taiwan Economic News, Taiwan-based Pegatron has outbid Foxconn for production of Apple's next-gen iPad (or "iPad ...

Sony set to double image sensor production

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/gadgets/digital-cameras/images/sonycybershotdscw200e-200-200.jpg"> Sony is set to double its output of image sensors in 2011, investing a cool $1.2 billion in a planned expansion next year. Sony clearly expects the demand for smartphone cameras and digital cameras and camcorders to continue to grow rapidly throughout 2011. Japanese government subsidies Sony Corp's internal investment of $1.2 billion in image sensors also includes a deal to buy back a semiconductor production line from Toshiba Corp, costing around $600 million. Sony will make use of part of the factory in Nagasaki, southern Japan, for the production of CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) sensors and the development of new wafer processing equipment for CMOS image sensors. The consumer electronics giant will make use of Japanese government subsidies to assist environmentally friendly businesses. However, it is not yet clear exactly how much money Sony will receive from the Japanese government for its planned expansion. Sony clearly has ambitions to catch-up with and overtake digital camera market leader Canon, with the objective to quickly ramp up total production of image sensors, including CCD and CMOS sensors, to 50,000 units a month by March 2012. <a href="http://www.techradar.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</A>

Sony set to double image sensor production

Sony is set to double its output of image sensors in 2011, investing a cool $1.2 billion in a planned expansion next year. Sony clearly expe...

Toshiba outsources chip production to Samsung

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/images/Toshiba+Logo-200-200.jpg"> Toshiba is set to significantly restructure its silicon chip manufacturing operations in 2011, outsourcing some production to Samsung and selling a manufacturing plant to Sony. Toshiba Corp plans to reduces its non-memory chip exposure in an effort to claw back revenue, following an operating loss of $3.4 billion in its 2008 financial year, in the midst of the global financial crisis. System chip design Outsourcing to Samsung and others is part of the plan to cut capital investment outlays in the next financial year starting in April 2011. "Thanks to this tie-up Toshiba will gain a stronger position," said Yumi Nishimura, a senior market analyst at Daiwa Securities Capital Markets. "In a situation when bigger capacity is required, the burden of capital investment can be too big for one company, so the accord is a positive factor for Toshiba." Toshiba has also announced that it will sell its system chip production line in Nagasaki to Sony. That line produces chips for Sony PlayStation 3s – and is located in a factory already owned by Sony. <a href="http://www.techradar.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</A>

Toshiba outsources chip production to Samsung

Toshiba is set to significantly restructure its silicon chip manufacturing operations in 2011, outsourcing some production to Samsung and se...

Logitech said to be halting Revue production until Google TV software revamp

Logitech said to be halting Revue production until Google TV software revamp

Oh dear. Google TV isn't having the best of starts to its life in the internet-connected TV world and Logitech seems to have taken noti...

Sharp spends $1.2 billion on LCD production plant, Apple alleged client

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qrU7DfAPDsEPmDLYG526gj5IlCuGoQf0ZikKBGs8H6_lJYBpdKb6TN2ywZm2Q_v4hSUR7us1XOc4-AqB-IrP62YsysoukWjeJl2K94rznqLYV5TDOpaqURAk4Gs6F5clN96OTCnOioo/s1600/iphone-retina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qrU7DfAPDsEPmDLYG526gj5IlCuGoQf0ZikKBGs8H6_lJYBpdKb6TN2ywZm2Q_v4hSUR7us1XOc4-AqB-IrP62YsysoukWjeJl2K94rznqLYV5TDOpaqURAk4Gs6F5clN96OTCnOioo/s1600/iphone-retina.jpg" /></a></div>Some more scuttlebutt out of the Japan's Nikkei Daily suggests Apple may be investing in a Sharp-owned LCD facility. The Japanese LCD facility was built in 2004 for the production of television LCDs. It has recently been re-purposed for small to mid-size LCDs after Sharp sold off its TV production equipment. Sharp is reportedly expanding this plant to meet increasing demand for mobile-sized LCDs. Construction is expected to begin in 2011 and the plant should be ready for production in 2012. This build-out will cost about 100 billion yen ($1.2 billion) and Apple is allegedly shouldering the lion's share of this cost. This rumor should sound familiar as earlier speculation suggested Apple was investing in a Toshiba-built LCD facility in Japan. According to this earlier report, Apple was investing US$1 billion into the plant, which would be used to produce high-resolution retina displays. Apple failed to comment on this story, but Toshiba vehemently denied Apple had invested in this plant. For the end consumer, it does not matter whose money is involved in building these plants. Additional manufacturing facilities will help ensure LCD production meets or even outstrips demand. If this buzz pans out, LCD shortages may be a thing of the past.

Sharp spends $1.2 billion on LCD production plant, Apple alleged client

Some more scuttlebutt out of the Japan's Nikkei Daily suggests Apple may be investing in a Sharp-owned LCD facility. The Japanese LCD fa...

Sharp investing $1.2b in expanding smartphone LCD production, Apple fingered as the major client

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJv2MtmPSZi7YyRQD-xNhER_D8FlVLGTudCU9vAW76svJ85YWPNhkD2gnUuWQyBzFdRKHOFjYR0ieC8RW_vb78hV3EHRibkejIXzMZNg-0-UOLEeW6Hpnwq7aPlEJqFBGXCo-XechM4NY/s1600/is03-iphone-4-02-sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJv2MtmPSZi7YyRQD-xNhER_D8FlVLGTudCU9vAW76svJ85YWPNhkD2gnUuWQyBzFdRKHOFjYR0ieC8RW_vb78hV3EHRibkejIXzMZNg-0-UOLEeW6Hpnwq7aPlEJqFBGXCo-XechM4NY/s320/is03-iphone-4-02-sm.jpg" width="320"></a></div> 
Apple's practicing its self-imposed rule of supplier polygamy this week and Japan's Nikkei is telling us all about it. It started off on Monday, when we learned that Toshiba's throwing down some cash to build a new smartphone display production plant, with Apple as the key investor and subsequent consumer, and today we're hearing pretty much the same story, only with Sharp playing the role of Japanese producer to Apple's hardware whims.

Sharp investing $1.2b in expanding smartphone LCD production, Apple fingered as the major client

Apple's practicing its self-imposed rule of supplier polygamy this week and Japan's Nikkei is telling us all about it. It started o...