MacBook Shipments to Rise 30% as iPad Shipments Decline

Apple AAPL is expected to ship 30 percent more MacBooks this year, totaling 16.2 million units. According to DigiTimes, "Shipments of new version MacBooks will begin to increase in the third quarter of 2012 as originally scheduled." The publication cites Taiwan-based supply chain makers as the source of the information. But while Apple sold more iPads than expected, the company might sell fewer tablets going forward. In short, DigiTimes said that some market watchers "have reduced their iPad shipment forecasts to only 14 million units for the third quarter, while forecasts for the fourth quarter have also been reduced from 18 million units to only 15 million units, dropping annual iPad sales predications from 66 million units originally to 55 million units." The reason for the sales decline is unknown. But market saturation, sales peak worries (how many potential iPad buyers are left?), and anticipation for the seven-inch model could have an impact on sales of the existing iPad. Follow me @LouisBedigianBZ