45 Million iPads in 2011?

Demand for Apple’s new iPad 2 has been off the charts since the device first debuted. And while supplies continue to be constrained (online ship times in the States remain at two to three weeks), supply chain chatter suggests that 2011 sales may surpass even the most bullish analyst estimates.

Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White says component suppliers in China and Taiwan believe Apple will sell far more iPads than expected.

“During our visit to Asia last fall, we indicated that our checks were pointing to expectations for up to 45 million iPad unit sales by Apple,” says White. “At the time, this number was difficult for many investors and some in the media to get their heads around. However, this week’s meetings are again pointing to expectations for iPad unit sales of 40 million to 45 million units in CY11, well above our estimate of 30.9 million.”

Sounds a tad optimistic. But who knows. In the end, Apple will sell as many iPads as it can build. And we’ll get a better idea of that number when the company reports second-quarter results next week.