05 november 2020
16:18
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The computer giant Apple is struggling with a shortage of chips that manage the power consumption of its new iPhone. The company fears shortages in the important end-of-year period.
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Apple has high hopes for the sale of the iPhone 12, which launched last month and should become the star of the commercially important Christmas period.
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But according to Bloomberg sources, it cannot be ruled out that there will be too few iPhones to meet the demand. This is due to the limited availability of some critical components, primarily the chips that control the smartphone’s power management.
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Efficient energy management is more important in the iPhone 12 than in previous iPhones because the device consumes more power, including for the additional camera functions and 5G connectivity. CEO Tim Cook spoke to analysts in a recent conference call about possible parts shortages for the iPhone 12 and other devices, but did not comment on which components were short.
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The main cause of the parts shortage is disruptions in the supply chain caused by the corona crisis and the building up of additional stocks by companies. The Chinese group Huawei, among others, still stocked large stocks of components before American sanctions against the company came into effect.
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Potential shortages aren’t Apple’s only concern. The company is also struggling to get the Chinese excited about its latest smartphone. In the three months to the end of September, sales in China fell 29 percent to $ 7.9 billion, according to figures released last week. The company did not provide a forecast for the current quarter, much to the disappointment of investors and analysts.
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