Apple is said to be severely chopping into iPad production in order to offset its iPhone 13 production issues.
The report stems from Nikkei Asia, which claims that Apple produced a startling 50% fewer iPad tablets than planned through September and October.
It’s claimed that Apple is siphoning off components from its tablet line, as well as from older iPhone model production, to bolster its new iPhone 13 range.
This would suggest that the global chip shortage is hitting Apple more severely than it cares to admit. Apple had warned that supply constraints would affect its iPhone and iPad lines during its Q3 2021 earnings call in July, but also appeared to downplay the impact somewhat.
Last month Bloomberg reported that Apple has had to cut its production targets for the iPhone 13 family by as many as 10 million units. The company had been hoping to hit 90 million combined units of the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, and iPhone 13 Mini.
It seems Apple’s component suppliers Broadcom and Texas Instruments have been struggling to provide the required number of components.
This isn’t the first time Apple has borrowed components from its tablet line to feed its starving smartphone line. In fact, it pulled the same trick with last year’s iPhone 12 range, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit supply lines hard.
While it’s not as popular as Apple’s smartphone line, however, demand for the iPad has still been robust. This has resulted in significant delays on iPad shipments in recent weeks.
It seems those earlier claims that “Everybody but Apple” would be affected by chips shortages were well wide of the mark.
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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.
