The iPad Mini may be coming sooner than expected. At least that's the expectation some now have in response to the latest news that Apple supplier Wintek is seeing a sales bonanza of epic proportions. The touch panel manufacturer is a key player in Apple's iPad production. And with no immediate plans for a 4th generation iPad on the table, the sales spike is highly suggestive of "something else" coming out of Apple's supply chain.
On Wednesday morning, Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White sounded off on the matter and made his case for what the evidence suggests. Specifically, sales for Wintek for the month of July came in "much higher than is the seasonal pattern."
"This July sales print represents the third strongest MoM growth rate for Wintek that we have on record for the Company through 2005 and clearly the best July performance," White tells investors this morning. "Wintek has generated over 50% of sales from Apple in programs such as the iPhone and iPad."
According to White, the most likely explanation for the sales uptick is a new Apple product. "If related to Apple, we believe the strength at Wintek could be due to the ramp of the 'iPad Mini,' rather than the iPhone 5 that is expected to use in-cell touch panels from leading LCD panel makers," he says.
Source: Barron's
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