Supply chain indicates continued demand for iPad

Supply chain checks indicate that Apple's tablet computer, the iPad, could sell as many as 45 million devices in 2011 - a figure that indicates the sleek little machine might be as "magical" as Apple claims in its ads.

Not only could sales of the original iPad reach a staggering 45 million next year, Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White reports that Apple is developing a smaller version of the device, according to 9to5Mac. The "iPad 2.0" could include additional features, such as a camera and compatibility with Apple's video conferencing client, FaceTime.

The analyst spoke to suppliers in China, one of whom claimed that he anticipated shipping enough components to make 13 million additional iPads before the end of 2010. The supplier told White that he shipped enough parts for 7 million iPads in the third quarter of the year and expects to ship enough for another 6 million before the year is up.

White himself, however, thinks these estimates are high. He told Forbes he personally anticipated Apple would sell 9.17 million iPads in the second half of 2010 and 21.8 million iPads in 2011.