iPhone 12 production might be affected by power chip shortage
During the holiday quarter, demand for Apple's new iPhones is typically strong. But the company might run into trouble meeting that demand due to a shortage of power chips for its iPhones.
This is according to a report by Bloomberg, which cites people with knowledge of the matter. The chips in question manage power consumption in Apple's iPhones as well as other phones, but it's unclear how limiting these constraints are. The chips aren't being produced as quickly as usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the disruptions in production will likely last two more quarters.
Another factor is China's Huawei, which has reportedly stockpiled chips ahead of a September deadline for U.S. sanctions.
Apple's iPhone 12 is already late, at least compared to last year's launch. The company had a launch event in October instead of September, and only two models — the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 Pro — have hit the market. The other two new phones, the iPhone 12 mini and the iPhone 12 Pro Max, will become available for pre-orders on Friday, Nov. 6, and hit stores next week.
It's hard to say whether power chip issues are causing iPhone shortages already. An iPhone 12 Pro, ordered now from Apple's website, ships in two to three weeks for all configurations. The iPhone 12, on the other hand, is available immediately.
During the company's earnings call last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that supply constraints are affecting nearly all of the company's product lines. "If you look at iPhone, we're constrained today," he said. "How long we'll be constrained is hard to predict."
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Stan is a Senior Editor at Mashable, where he has worked since 2007. He's got more battery-powered gadgets and band t-shirts than you. He writes about the next groundbreaking thing. Typically, this is a phone, a coin, or a car. His ultimate goal is to know something about everything.
