As the iPad Air is expected to achieve good sales and Apple has lowered prices for old iPad mini models, global iPad shipments in the fourth quarter are estimated to reach 18-20 million units, up from 14.1 million units shipped in the preceding quarter, according to sources with Taiwan's supply chain.

　　Apple has recently announced that its tablet shipments reached 48.2 million units in the first three quarters of 2013, and with the estimated 18-20 million unit shipments in the fourth quarter, Apple is expected to ship a total of 66.2-68.2 million iPads in 2013.

　　Compared to the volume of 2012, iPad shipments in 2013 will only have a 4% growth, the lowest among first-tier tablet vendors and also significantly lagging behind the tablet market's overall growth of 50%.

　　The global tablet market is expected to see its annual shipments rise from 140 million in 2012 to 220 million in 2013.