All major tech companies, including Apple, continue to combat manufacturing delays on products, and it seems that it could affect the new iPad Pro 2021 and the upcoming MacBook Pro 2021.
The pandemic has disrupted scheduled production, with the fabrication of chips being a key factor on delayed product shipments. No company seems to be exempt, a fact recently highlighted in Apple’s Q2 earnings call back in April. Apparently, the company’s iPad and Mac supply will be negatively impacted by the global chip shortage.
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According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple is having a hard time shoring up multiple components needed to create new versions of the iMac and iPad. The recent resurgence of Covid-19 in Taiwan is partially to blame. Apple’s chip maker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., or TSMC, is dealing with heightened safety measures leading to a slowdown in production.
Low chip supply has put Apple in a tough spot. CFO Luca Maestri told investors that the company could lose around $4 billion in revenue in Q3. That doesn’t mean Apple won’t be able to see profits later in the year, considering the demand for its products is at an all time high (another result of the pandemic). Still, the company will need to adjust its projections for the coming quarter.
Other companies are facing similar issues. We’ve seen this with Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Sony — it's why Xbox Series X restocks and PS5 restocks have been so hard to come by. And customers are still trying to get their hands on Nvidia and AMD’s latest graphic cards. The second-hand market is booming as people fail to purchase needed devices from retail. On Google, where to buy Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 and where to buy AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT continue to remain top search results eight months after launch.
Essentially, trying to upgrade to a new console or secure a new phone has been difficult, with readily available options costing more on the open market. Even humble podcasters are struggling. Microphones, webcams or anything made by Elgato — the company behind game capture devices — have too seen price increases as items remain sold out across the web.
Apple hasn’t specified when its new MacBook Pro will be released. The good news is that Maestri believes that things will start to improve in Q4. Hopefully, by that time, this chip shortage will have satiated demand.
