iPod supply to hit 36 million in '05?


Quoting "market sources," DigiTimes reports that Taiwanese makers are vying for iPod PCB orders from Apple. Here's a quote of the entire write up:

Market sources estimate that PCB orders for the iPod shuffle, iPod mini and iPod will account for 2-to-3 million units per month. Sources hinted that APCB is vying for iPod shuffle orders, while Compeq Manufacturing and Nan Ya PCB compete for iPod and iPod mini orders.

If correct, Apple would seem be planning an annual run rate of up to 36-million units. A February IGM report pegged iPod shuffle output for this year at 5 million units.

Previously, analysts have predicted Apple will shift 24-million iPods in 2005.

Editor's note: If true, this report would seem to indicate that Apple plans to nearly treble its iPod installed base (about 12 million now) in the space of a year. Does this sound realistic to you?