Apple: iPads May Soon Outsell Macs; Will CY ’10 Units Hit 10M?

Here’s another bit of evidence illustrating the startling early success of the Apple (AAPL) iPad.

Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair says he now expects the company to produce about more than 10 million iPads in calendar 2010, up from a previous forecast of around 7 million units. Wedge had originally expected production of 1.5 million units in the June quarter and 3 million in the September quarter; the boutique research firm now sees production of “closer to 2 million” units for the June quarter, and about 4 million in the September quarter.

Here’s Wedge’s current theory on how the rest of the year will play out for the iPad:

• June quarter: 2 million units produced, 1.75 million sold.
• September quarter: 4 million built, 3.75 million sold.
• December quarter: 4.5 million built, 4.25 million sold.

That scenario has interesting implications. One, it suggests that the iPad could outsell the Mac in the September quarter; it also suggests Apple could sell close to 10 million iPads in calendar 2010. With sales that high, it would suggest the iPad is going to steal some business from netbooks and notebooks.

And it suggest that financial forecasts for Apple for the rest of the year could once again be too low.

AAPL is up $6.88, or 2.8%, to $250.99.