Apple hasn't officially confirmed plans to launch a smaller tablet, but the buzz is already building.

Some component suppliers to Apple in Asia say they have received orders to make more than 10 million units of the smaller tablets in the fourth quarter. That is roughly double the order that were placed for Amazon's Kindle Fire tablets in the same quarter, these suppliers say.

The figure indicates that Apple believes demand for the product will be strong, despite stiff competition in the market.

Apple hasn't responded to requests for comment on the smaller tablet dubbed by the industry as the iPad mini.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that Asian component suppliers have already started producing the smaller 7.85-inch tablet. Apple hasn't confirmed when the new device will be available, but AllThingsD, a sister publication of The Wall Street Journal, reported last month that Apple plans to unveil the smaller tablet later this month.

Analysts say strong consumer demand for Samsung Electronics ' 5.3-inch Galaxy Note and Amazon's 7-inch Kindle Fire shows that there is demand for a smaller tablet. Apple currently offers only one size the 9.7-inch iPads.

'It makes sense for market leader Apple to extend its dominance in tablets with a smaller tablet,'said Capital Securities analyst Diana Wu.

Although Apple is still the biggest tablet maker in the world, its share of the market has been slipping following the launch of Android-based products.

According to market research firm iSuppli, Apple's share of the worldwide tablet market was 69.6% in the second quarter, down from nearly 84% in 2010. The second-largest player was Samsung Electronics with 9.2% of the market in the second quarter.

Analysts say the challenge for Apple will be to price the smaller tablet attractively in order for it to succeed. Amazon's 7-inch Kindle Fire HD sells for $199 and Google 's 7-inch Nexus 7 sells for $199.

'iPad mini will be a big hit if Apple prices it below $300,' said RBS analyst Wanli Wang.

Lorraine Luk
果公司(Apple Inc.)尚未正式宣布將發(fā)布更小尺寸平板電腦的計(jì)劃,，但有關(guān)這款設(shè)備的傳聞?wù)粩嘣龆唷?br>
蘋(píng)果在亞洲的一些零部件供應(yīng)商說(shuō)，它們已經(jīng)收到了訂單,，將在第四季度生產(chǎn)超過(guò)1,000萬(wàn)部更小尺寸的平板電腦,。這些供應(yīng)商說(shuō),，這大約是亞馬遜Kindle Fire平板電腦當(dāng)季度訂單規(guī)模的兩倍。

這個(gè)數(shù)字意味著,，蘋(píng)果認(rèn)為盡管市場(chǎng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)殘酷,，但消費(fèi)者對(duì)這款產(chǎn)品的需求仍將會(huì)十分強(qiáng)勁。

蘋(píng)果沒(méi)有回復(fù)有關(guān)這款更小尺寸平板電腦的置評(píng)請(qǐng)求,。這款設(shè)備目前被業(yè)界稱(chēng)為Ipad mini,。

《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》本月早些時(shí)候報(bào)道說(shuō)，亞洲的零部件供應(yīng)商已經(jīng)開(kāi)始生產(chǎn)尺寸更小的7.85英寸平板電腦,。蘋(píng)果沒(méi)有證實(shí)這款新設(shè)備何時(shí)面市,，但是《華爾街日?qǐng)?bào)》的姊妹出版物AllThingsD上個(gè)月報(bào)道說(shuō)，蘋(píng)果計(jì)劃在本月晚些時(shí)候發(fā)布尺寸更小的平板電腦,。

分析人士說(shuō),，三星電子(Samsung Electronics)5.3英寸的Galaxy Note以及亞馬遜(Amazon)7英寸的Kindle Fire都有強(qiáng)勁的需求，這顯示人們需要尺寸更小的平板電腦,。蘋(píng)果目前僅提供一種尺寸（9.7英寸）的iPad產(chǎn)品,。

群益證券股份有限公司(Capital Securities)分析師吳廖荃(Diana Wu)說(shuō)，市場(chǎng)領(lǐng)軍者蘋(píng)果想要通過(guò)推出尺寸更小的平板設(shè)備來(lái)擴(kuò)大在平板電腦領(lǐng)域的領(lǐng)先優(yōu)勢(shì),，這合情合理,。

盡管蘋(píng)果仍然是世界上最大的平板電腦制造商，但在搭載安卓操作系統(tǒng)的產(chǎn)品上市之后,，蘋(píng)果的市場(chǎng)份額一直在下滑,。

市場(chǎng)研究公司iSuppli稱(chēng)，今年第二季度,，蘋(píng)果在全球平板領(lǐng)域的市場(chǎng)份額是69.6%,，相比之下，2010年的這一數(shù)字大約為84%,。全球第二大平板設(shè)備生產(chǎn)商三星第二季度的市場(chǎng)份額是9.2%,。

分析人士說(shuō)，蘋(píng)果面臨的挑戰(zhàn)將是為尺寸更小的平板電腦設(shè)定一個(gè)更吸引人的價(jià)格,。亞馬遜7英寸Kindle Fire HD的價(jià)格是199美元,，谷歌7英寸Nexus7的價(jià)格是199美元。

RBS的分析師王萬(wàn)里（音）說(shuō),，如果蘋(píng)果把iPad mini的價(jià)格定在300美元以下,，它將會(huì)大受歡迎。

Lorraine Luk