Apple is reportedly delaying plans for its 12.9-inch iPad mass production in order to handle strong demand for its iPhone 6 Plus, according to a new report.
The company unveiled its latest iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus smartphones last month and it is widely expected to take the wraps off the rest of its 2014 product lineup next week. Apple will reportedly hold an event on Oct. 16, when it is expected to announce new devices that will make their way to the market in time for this year's holiday shopping season. Rumors of a larger 12.9-inch iPad have been making rounds for quite some time, but it now seems that the tablet will not be making its debut anytime soon.
According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Apple and its partner suppliers have decided to delay plans to mass produce the 12.9-inch iPad over strong demand for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.
The 12.9-inch iPad was reportedly supposed to enter mass production in December, but Apple is not satisfied with its suppliers' production output for the iPhone 6 Plus and wants to fix this first.
"The top priority for the supply chain is to meet the overwhelming demand for the larger screen iPhones," the WSJ reports. "'The output of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus remains unsatisfactory,' said a person at a supplier. 'It would be challenging for display makers to split resources and spend a few months to ramp up production for a new larger screen iPad now.'"
The WSJ further mentions that Apple supplier Foxconn is facing some issues with hiring enough factory workers to assemble the latest iPhone models at its factory in Zhengzhou, China, which also makes it more difficult to start mass producing a new device.
The publication also learned from its sources that the 12.9-inch iPad would boast a resolution similar to the 2,048 x 1,536 display of the current iPad Air. Furthermore, suppliers are also reportedly gearing up for mass producing Apple's much-rumored 12-inch MacBook Air in December.
This would mean that the 12.9-inch iPad and the 12-inch MacBook Air would not make it to market this year, but may still make their debut sometime in early 2015. In the meantime, Apple is expected to unveil its iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 3, and presumably a new iMac at its event next Thursday, Oct. 16, as well as give a final look at its new OS X Yosemite before public release.
We'll keep you up to date as soon as more information becomes available, but take everything with a grain of salt until official confirmation.
