Digitimes is reporting that Apple’s LCD partners LG Display and Sharp began production of ultra high resolution QXGA (2048 x 1536) LCD panel for iPad 3 in fourth quarter of 2012 and will increase production this quarter. While production of QXGA panels for iPad 3 will increase, Apple plans to decrease production of LCD panels for iPad 2. Rebecca Kuo wrote on Digitimes:

As Apple has selected Sharp, LG Display and Sharp as the suppliers of 9.7-inch QXGA (2,048 x 1,536) panels for use in a new version of the iPad, shipments of such high-resolution panels began in the fourth quarter of 2011 and will exceed those of XGA panels used in iPad 2 in the second quarter of 2012, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers.

With fewer than one million panels shipped in the fourth quarter of 2011, Apple will keep increasing the shipment volume of panels for use in the new version of iPad to 6.0-7.0 million panels in the first quarter and 10.0 million units in the third quarter of 2012, the sources pointed out.

In other iPad related news, Macotakara is reporting that Apple is planning to hold an event in February to launch iPad 3 that will ship in March. Danbo posted on Macotakara that according to Asian suppliers and their source in US, Apple will hold a special event in early February. However, iPad 3 will be available in stores starting in March because of the delay caused by Chinese New Year holiday in late January.