Apple has so far seemed relatively spared from the past year’s growing shortage of electronic components. While products like the PlayStation 5 from Sony suffered delays due to chip shortages, and Nvidia’s RTX 3000 graphics card series supply issues, Apple was still able to sell a record number of new iPhones and other gadgets despite the iPhone launch being delayed.
But now Nikkei reports that the component shortage has also reached Apple. According to the Asian newspaper, the production of upcoming new iPad and MacBook models has been delayed and some components that should have been available before the summer are now expected to be delivered in the autumn.
The shortages relate to displays and other components required for the screen in the iPad, and a shortage of chips that is said to have led to difficulties getting the circuits mounted on the motherboard on the MacBook model, according to Nikkei. It is not clear which models are affected.
As a result Apple is said has postponed some of the component orders for MacBooks and iPads to the second half of the year. “Industry sources and experts believe the delays are a sign that chip shortages are getting worse and affecting smaller tech companies even more,” writes Nikkei.
“The fact that the supply crunch has spread to MacBooks and iPads – two key Apple items – shows that the component shortage remains a serious issue and could deal a more serious blow to tech players that have less bargaining power and supply chain management expertise than the US company” experts told Nikkei Asia.
Based on reports from Macworld Sweden and Macwelt.