Apple’s production for the MacBook and iPad has officially been delayed and it’s all due to the global chip shortage. According to a report by Nikkei, the fruit company has pushed back a portion of its component order for the two products from the first half of the year to the second half.
The delay is a clear sign that even giants like the company from Cupertino isn’t immune from issues like the ongoing components famine that was brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. An issue, by the way, that is affecting a company with one of the most complicated supply chains in the world, and its insane ability to mobilise its suppliers in extremely short notices.
For what it is worth and perhaps as a form of consolation to Apple, the company isn’t alone in this. Its rival, Samsung, isn’t faring much better in this climate and if that wasn’t bad enough, it was also forced to shut down its Texas factory back in February, after an apocalyptically cold winter storm swept through the US state. Causing power outages and leaving its residents in the dark.
Outside the realm of smartphones, the chip shortage has also affected the production line for PC components, chief among them being the GPU. To make matters worse, that shortage is further compounded by the unscrupulous actions of scalpers and GPU miners, the latter brought about by the crypto-boom in the value of Bitcoin.
At the time of writing, Apple did not comment on any of the reports.
(Source: Nikkei via Bloomberg, Reuters, PetaPixel)
