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TAIPEI – Third-quarter global tablet PC shipments hit 18.7 million units, up 27.5% sequentially, compared to sequential growth of 60.9% in the second quarter, says Digitimes Research.

As a result of a weak global economy, Apple's iPad shipments did not meet third-quarter expectations with 13 million units, up 36.8% sequentially.

Most non-iPad tablet PCs endured high inventory issues during the period, according to Digitimes Research. Also, many launches of new tablet PC products have been postponed. Shipments of non-iPad tablet PCs only grew 10.1% sequentially.

For tablet PC CPUs, Nvidia was the No. 2 supplier in terms of shipments, while Texas Instruments fell to No. 4. Inventec is now the No. 2 ODM, with Quanta Computer falling to No. 5.

EL SEGUNDO – Shipments of dynamic random access memory for use in smartphones are set for triple-digit growth this year, outpacing the expansion of the entire DRAM market by a factor of three, according to IHS iSuppli.

DRAM shipments in smartphone handsets, as measured in 1 Gb-equivalent units, are expected to rise to 1.7 billion in 2011, up 157.2% from 2010. By 2015, shipments will increase to 13.9 billion units, up 700% from 2011.

Smartphones’ share of total DRAM consumption will grow to 7.6% this year, up from 4.4% in 2010, says IHS iSuppli. This will expand to 10.6% next year and then climb to 13.4% in 2013, 14.9% in 2014 and 16% in 2015.

In at least four recently released smartphones, dissections by IHS iSuppli revealed the devices had larger quantities of DRAM.

The Xperia PLAY from Sony Ericsson, for instance, had 512MB of DRAM, while the Galaxy Indulge from Samsung featured 576MB. The iPhone 4 from Apple had DRAM amounting to 544MB, while the Thunderbolt from HTC had the highest level at 768MB.

In comparison, a device released last year, such as the SGH T939 – an Android-operated, touch-screen smartphone from Samsung – had DRAM content of only 128MB, says the research firm.

Projections call for the average smartphone DRAM density to reach 715MB next year, up 55% from 461MB in 2011, with no near-term limitations on growth.

BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC’s Solder Products Value Council is urging tin smelters to become smelters of conflict-free minerals.

The association recommends the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition/Global e-Sustainability Initiative Conflict-Free Smelter program. The CFS is an audit and certification program that will identify and publish lists of smelters that have been certified as using conflict-free minerals.

Under conflict minerals provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, publicly traded companies will be required to submit detailed reports to the US Securities and Exchange Commission on the origin of tin, tantalum, gold, or tungsten in products. The CFS program is expected to benefit the entire supply chain by reducing the burden of complying with conflict minerals regulations.