Apple iPad 2 reportedly in production, may cause spike in worldwide demand for NAND chips

According to the Wall Street Journal, the successor to the original iPad is currently in production and being assembled by Foxconn, the company who normally provides the necessary electronic components for Apple. Analyst Ben Reitzes is predicting shipments of up to 33.7 million second generation iPads this year, and that’s not even including tablets in production from other companies. With such high shipment numbers, ComputerWorld blames the collective growth of the tablet sector for the almost 400% surge in demand for NAND memory chips over 2010 with no slowdowns expected in the future. The iPad 2 is identified as the main culprit, as its production numbers and flash memory densities are much larger than its competitors, thus contributing more to the worldwide demand for NAND flash components.

Although specifications are still scarce, the second generation of iPads will likely sport a thinner profile, faster processor and graphics power, more RAM and a camera. However, WSJ claims that the screen resolution of the iPad 2 will be similar to the first generation iPads, which may be disappointing for those hoping for a more impressive screen akin to the Retina Display of the iPhone4. Expect the iPad 2 later this year when Apple decides to officially announce the models, price structure and launch date of their latest tablet.

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