This worldwide chip shortage is real, as evidenced by its effect on Apple.
Delivery of the company’s MacBooks and iPads have been postponed because of the shortage of the devices’ key components, according to Nikkei Asia.
The struggle in assembly is at the heart of the trouble, with display components causing the delays.
Apple, which has had no immediate comment, likely will push the release of MacBooks and iPads to late summer or fall.
Its iPhone production has not suffered an impact to this point, but sources cited by Nikkei Asia say the overall supply is running low for some components required in iPhone production.
The development could also mean trouble for the new iPad Pro, which is expected to include groundbreaking display tech called mini-LED.
Apple rolled out its updated MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro and Mac Mini with its new chips, but most of its lineup is still running on Intel chips.
Last June, the company promised it would transition from using Intel’s chips “within two years.”
Apple’s plans for producing its custom silicon to be used in its devices can take up a great deal of time, and the global chip shortage cuts further into the timeline.
Tech industry experts say that if Apple is being affected, that’s bad news for all similar companies.
A Business Insider story said carmakers also had been addled by the chip shortage.
“Many had canceled orders for parts early in 2020, when they were forced to shut down production because of the pandemic. That meant they had no inventory of components when they turned the assembly lines back on.”
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