Apple Ramping Up M1 Production as New 12.9-inch iPad Pro Expected to Reach Five Million Shipments in 2021

Apple is seemingly expecting high demand for its new M1-powered iPad Pro as the company has asked its main chip supplier, TSMC, to ramp up production of the chip for its new iPad, and newer Mac computers, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes.

ipad pro with m1 chip
Earlier this week, Apple unveiled a brand new 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro powered by the M1 Apple silicon chip, the same chip powering the newly announced 24-inch iMac, and previously released Mac mini, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.

The M1 chip first started shipping in November, and amid an ongoing global chip shortage, demand for the chip is even more pronounced thanks to the new ‌iPad Pro‌. DigiTimes reports that TSMC had a previous goal of 120,000 chip wafers per month for the second half of the year. Thanks to a strong push from Apple, TSMC now has its eyes set on 140,000 to 150,000 monthly chip waters from the second to the fourth quarter of the year.

Even though the new ‌iPad Pro‌ and 24-inch iMac were announced this week, they won't begin shipping until the second half of May. The significant delay between announcement and shipments is likely due to strain put on Apple's suppliers.

Research cited by another ‌DigiTimes‌ report today suggests that the new higher-end 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ which features a new Liquid Retina XDR Display, will reach 5 million shipments this year. The new ‌iPad Pro‌ and 24-inch ‌iMac‌ will be available for pre-order starting Friday, April 30.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

sonny iphone 16 pro colors

All Four iPhone 16 Pro Colors Revealed in New Image

Friday August 16, 2024 4:14 am PDT by
Leaker Sonny Dickson is back today with a new dummy unit image showing all four iPhone 16 Pro color variants, including the rose gold or "bronze" unit that replaces Blue Titanium in the existing iPhone 15 Pro models. The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to come in black, white or silver, gray or "Natural Titanium," and a rose or rose gold color replacing Blue Titanium, according to Apple...
iPhone 16 Pro Right Side Feature

The iPhone 16 is Getting a New Button: Here's What It Can Do

Tuesday August 13, 2024 4:01 pm PDT by
Multiple rumors have suggested that the iPhone 16 models are going to have an all-new button that's designed to make it easier to capture photos when the devices are held in landscape mode. Apple calls the button the Capture Button internally, and it is going to be one of the most advanced buttons that's been introduced to date with support for multiple gestures and the ability to respond to ...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Launch Is Just One Month Out – Here's Everything We Know

Saturday August 10, 2024 5:00 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series in the fall, and a possible September 10 announcement date has been floated this year, which means we are just one month away from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

When Is the iPhone 16 Coming Out?

Wednesday August 14, 2024 6:20 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 16 series is expected to debut in September 2024. This release follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. While the exact date has yet to be officially confirmed, the day of Tuesday, September 10 has been rumored as a possible announcement date, and September has traditionally been the month when Apple unveils its latest smartphone innovations. ...
maxresdefault

Apple Aiming to Launch Tabletop Robotic Home Device as Soon as 2026 With Pricing Around $1,000

Wednesday August 14, 2024 11:30 am PDT by
Apple is moving forward with its project to develop a tabletop robotic device, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The device would feature a large iPad-like display mounted on a "thin robotic arm" that would allow the display to tilt and up and down and rotate a full 360º, and it would serve as a "smart home command center," a...
M4 Mac mini Silver Ortho Cooler

These New Macs Are Coming in 2024

Thursday August 15, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
It's almost September, but Apple still has multiple new product launches planned for 2024. New iPhone 16 models and Apple Watches are coming in September, and we're also going to get at least three Mac updates with M4 chips this year, according to rumors. Here's what's on the horizon. MacBook Pro Apple plans to refresh both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4 chips. The ...
T Mobile Generic Feature Pink 1

United States Fines T-Mobile $60 Million for Failing to Prevent Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Customer Data

Thursday August 15, 2024 1:32 pm PDT by
T-Mobile was fined $60 million by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) for negligence surrounding data breaches, reports Reuters. CFIUS penalized T-Mobile for failing to prevent or disclose unauthorized access to sensitive customer data. When T-Mobile merged with Sprint, it signed a national security agreement with CFIUS, which is what led to the fine earlier this year....

Top Rated Comments

Isengardtom Avatar
43 months ago
I suspect something big at WWDC with regards to this. I mean we don’t need M1 + 8GB / 16GB ram to play Grindstone and browse the web
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calstanford Avatar
43 months ago
It's kind of crazy people are using the same (M1) or basically the same (A14) chip from iPhone Mini's all the way to 24" iMacs
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BvizioN Avatar
43 months ago
I just wish the Retina XDR display was on the 11" also. The larger one is just a bit too large for me to travel with.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dumastudetto Avatar
43 months ago

Anyone with prior experience with apple preorders care to share how next Friday will work? What time will the preorders start? Will it be limited, where it could potentially sell out within minutes?
The new 12.9" is the best iPad Apple has ever made. Customer demand to acquire one will be off-the-charts. Stock is expected to be extremely constrained for months, so you'll need to be online the moment orders go live if you want a launch day delivery.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dumastudetto Avatar
43 months ago

As was the prior one. The 2018 and 2020 ones are still overkill for what iPadOS and these apps can do.
For example, people who use Adobe apps will immediately see benefits from these super-performant iPads Pros. Every year we see more and more advanced applications making their way to iPad Pro - with better UI, improved functionality, and delightful experience. These latest updates will only broaden the appeal to developers.

I expect Final Cut Pro and Xcode will be coming soon.

Anything that allows for a richer, smoother, more refined user experience is far from overkill.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
43 months ago

Anyone with prior experience with apple preorders care to share how next Friday will work? What time will the preorders start? Will it be limited, where it could potentially sell out within minutes?
Pre-Orders usually start at 5 AM (Cali time) and depending on the product, they usually sell out within minutes in the sense that the delivery days are being pushed further and further
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)