Samsung Electronics outperformed LG Display to become the top supplier of 9.7-inch flat panels for Apple's iPads in January with shipments totaling 2.45 million units, up from 1.65 million shipped in December, according to industry sources.

LG Display saw its shipments of 9.7-inch iPad panels decline from over 2.1 million units in December to 1.7 million in February, while shipments of 9.7-inch panels from Chimei Innolux (CMI) also dropped from 500,000 to 350,000 units during the same period.

Shipments of 9.7-inch iPad panels totaled 48 million units in 2011 and are expected to top 65 million units in 2012, including 25 million units for iPad 2 and 40 million for the next-generation iPads (commonly referred to as iPad 3), which are likely to be launched soon.

On the other hand, demand for touch panels for iPads are expected to reach 16-17 million units in the first quarter of 2012, including 7.5-8 million for iPad 2 and 8.5-9 million for iPad 3, the sources indicated.