Production of Apple’s MacBooks and iPads has been postponed because of the global shortage of semiconductors, according to a Japanese newspaper.
Shortages of chips have caused delays to a key stage in the making of MacBooks that relates to the ability to mount certain components on circuit boards before the laptop is fully assembled. Meanwhile the production of iPads is being held up by a shortage of display driver chips, which convey basic instructions that illuminate the screen.
As a result, Apple has postponed a portion of component orders that it would normally make for the production of iPads and MacBooks from the first half of this year to the second half, insiders told Nikkei.
Apple declined to comment on the report and it is unclear which MacBook or iPad models will be affected, or if this was for new devices not yet announced.
The production of iPhones remains unaffected, although the component supply for Apple’s most popular device has been described as “quite tight”.
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The $2 trillion group is the world’s biggest buyer of semiconductors, spending $58 billion annually.
Since last year the shortage of chips, which are considered the “brain” of a device, has been steadily worsening. It has affected devices ranging from TVs, smartphones and games consoles to home computers, cars and fridges.
The shortage arose after factories shut down when the pandemic first hit as many companies estimated consumers would curb their spending in the face of economic uncertainty. Instead, people stuck at home started buying more consumer electronics than usual, leading to a rise in demand.
Separately, Apple has accused Epic Games, the makers of Fortnite, of orchestrating a PR campaign to cast it as “the bad guy” in the pair’s argument over app fees. Apple made the claim to a Californian federal judge before a court hearing on the dispute on May 3.
