It was revealed last month that a global chip shortage forced Apple to scale back its iPhone 13 series production plans, and the company will produce 10 million fewer iPhone 13 series units. According to the latest report released today by Nikkei Asia, Apple is now pursuing another plan to make up for the shortfall it faced in the production of iPhone 13 phones. Apple has reallocated iPad components for iPhone 13 production. The report also mentions that iPad production has dropped by 50% compared to Apple’s original plans for the past two months, and not only iPad parts, but parts for older iPhones are also being redirected to iPhone 13 production.
The iPad and iPhone have many standard components, including both core and peripheral ICs. That is why Apple is switching shipments between different devices in some cases, such as in the current situation where the waiting time for iPhone 13 models is long and the company cannot meet the demand.
Demand for the iPhone has increased over the iPad in many regions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Apple believes demand for iPhone 13 phones could pick up in the coming months after the holiday season. However, this does not mean that the iPad is not for sale. Demand for the iPad has increased due to the increase in remote work and online classes during the pandemic.
This isn’t the first time Apple has favored the iPhone over the iPad. The company also reallocated some iPad parts last year to produce the iPhone 12 line. However, this time around, iPad buyers will also have to wait a long time to get their hands on the device. According to the latest report, US or European consumers who ordered an iPad with 256GB of storage at the end of October will have to wait until December 15th to receive the iPad. This is not an estimate, but it is stated on the Apple website. In China, customers have to wait six weeks before they receive a new iPad.