There is currently a global shortage of semiconductors that is affecting all kinds of industries. The reason for this is that almost all hardware today depends on silicon at some level. Now Apple's iPad and MacBook production is said to be affected.
As one of the world's largest buyers of silicon, Apple's size and market power have enabled it to buy up available capacity and continue production of key products such as the iPhone unscathed, at least for now. According to a new Nikkei report According to Nikkei, Apple is now also affected, as production of some iPad and MacBook models is disrupted. Nikkei claims that iPad assembly is being held up by a shortage of display components. Meanwhile, MacBook suppliers are stuck at a key point: the process of assembling components onto circuit boards. These problems have forced Apple to postpone production of "a portion of its component orders" until the second half of the year, according to Nikkei. The report does not specify which iPad and MacBook models are specifically affected.
Chip shortage: Is the iPhone also affected?
For months, there have been reports that Apple plans to introduce new iPad Pro models in the spring. Originally, a launch was expected in March. Now, April is considered a prime candidate. However, based on the latest information, it remains unclear whether the chip shortage will also affect the new iPad Pro models. Regarding the iPhone, Nikkei states that the availability of stockpiled iPhone components is "tight," although production is currently running at normal levels. Sitting at the top of the tech food chain, Apple has the influence and money to generally get what it wants from suppliers. However, if the chip shortage also affects the iPad and MacBooks, that should be a major warning sign for smaller companies that lack Apple's bargaining power. Most analysts expect the semiconductor shortage to continue for many months. (Photo by Ekaterina79 / Bigstockphoto)
