Analyst: Apple to sell 100 million iPhones, 48 million iPads in 2011

If Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair is right, 2011 is going to be the year an avalanche of iPhones and iPads sweep the globe. Blair released a forecast on Tuesday predicting that Apple will sell 100 million iPhones in 2011. He's basing those numbers on the fact that Apple thinks it will have a 100% increase in YOY iPhone sales in 2011. Since Apple produced 48-50 million iPhones in 2010, that means a production run and supposed sell-through rate of 100 million iPhones in 2011. "While this number can change and adjust downward or upward based on demand," Blair said, "we believe it is incredibly bullish that Apple feels it is possible that they could see nearly 100% year over year growth for iPhone in 2011 as this would mean that exiting 2011, Apple would have approximately 10% share in the global handset market."

Blair also believes that Apple will sell 48 million iPads in 2011. His prediction is based on supply chain checks that Apple plans to produce 45-38 million iPads in 2011 (up from 13.5 million in 2010). Blair believes that the second generation iPad -- which he speculates will have a FaceTime camera and thinner, unibody form function -- will drive the explosive iPad growth.
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