Could Apple really be starting production on the iPad 3?

By Mike Dunn October 14, 2011

Bet you didn’t expect to see a non-iPhone related Apple story on the launch day of the iPhone 4S. AllthingsD is reporting on a rumor floating around that the iPad 3 might already be heading into production. The idea is based around a higher than expected production of iPads for the fourth-quarter.

Financial analyst Jeff Fidacaro is saying that the boost in production is due to Apple building new iPad 3 models along side the current generation iPad. Fidacaro is seeing between 600,000 to one million iPad 3 units being built, which could bring to total number of iPad units built in the fourth-quarter up to 14 million.

Seeing as the iPad typically launches in March we think it might be a little too soon to start building units. This report is also directly conflicting with an earlier report that Apple might actually be cutting iPad 2 production in preparation for the next generation iPad.

We still have around six months until the iPad 3 is expected to be announced in March, so this might just be the start of iPad 3 rumors. Earlier this week we caught wind of a rumor about an iPad mini in the works. With the popularity of Apple there are going to be more rumors surrounding the iPad 3 than any other tablet, but lets just hope the rumors are a little more accurate than all the iPhone 5 rumors.

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