Apple MacBook and iPad production delayed due to supply shortages

Apple has now joined a long list of tech manufacturers who have been affected by the global shortage of crucial components. Production of certain MacBook and iPad models have now been delayed due to the shortage of key parts.

As per a report in NikkeiAsia, the global chip shortage has started affecting an important part of Apple’s MacBook production process. The process that’s been affected involves the mounting of the components on printed circuit boards just before the final assembly takes place. Sources in the know have revealed that the production of iPads has also been postponed due to the shortage of display components and displays. This has made Apple push back a part of its component orders for both the MacBook and the iPads from the first half of 2021 to the second half of the year.

Also Read: Global chip supply chain increasingly vulnerable to massive disruption: Study

Industry sources are of the opinion that these delays indicate that the chip shortage issue is growing more serious by the day and it is going to affect smaller tech firms much more adversely than it is affecting tech behemoths like Apple. Apple is a mohair player and has a vast and complex supply chain that helps it procure what it needs to make its devices. The company’s influence and its ability to mobilise suppliers is what has helped it withstand the global component shortage so far. Car makers and other consumer electronics manufacturers have already been affected by this, and Apple has finally shown signs of being affected as well, after all this time. This does not bode well for smaller companies that neither have the influence or the ability to mobilise suppliers.

So far, the production of iPhones has not been affected by the global shortages but inside sources has mentioned that the supply of certain components for the iPhones have been ‘quite tight’. As Gizmochina reports, the shortage of components is a supply chain issue for Apple and it is yet to affect product availability for consumers. Apple has not said anything on this matter yet.