Apple is struggling to meet demand for its first wearable, and one analyst claims to know why.
KGI securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo says the supply issues are caused by difficulties producing two key Apple Watch components.
The first is the vibration motor used for the Apple Watch’s Taptic Engine, which is being produced by AAC.
The Hong Kong manufactuer has reportedly been slow in shipping the motors, finding difficulty meeting Apple’s ‘stringest operating requirements’, as reported by AppleInsider.
The analyst claims Apple wants the haptic motors to be both smaller and more accurate than the ones found in the iPhone 6.
Related: Apple Watch vs Android Wear
Kuo also claims OLED shipments have been slow from screen manufacturer LG Display.
LG’s panel-producing subsidiary has reportedly struggled to achieve a good yield of colour-accurate panels with a long life span.
It’s worth noting that LG Display is believed to be the sole supplier of the Apple Watch OLED panels, which means Apple can’t circumvent the issue by switching manufacturer.
It’s currently estimated that upwards of 2.3 million Apple Watches will be pre-ordered before the April 24 shipping data.
Apple Watch sales have already eclipsed lifetime Android Wear figures, despite the Google-powered platform offering a multitude of devices from multiple manufacturers.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
