With the launch of the iPhone 12 family of flagships almost fully underway the iPhone 12 Mini ships tomorrow, Pro Max on November 13, Apple is geared up for a demanding holiday season. However, insiders say that production could hit a bottleneck due to shortages of the silicon used to manage the iPhone 12’s power consumption.
The iPhone 12 is arguably the most power-hungry handset that Apple has produced. Thanks to its 5G capability and more advanced camera, the company’s demand for power-control chips is higher than it has ever been, but suppliers might not be able to meet that demand, sources say.
It is unclear if this shortfall will affect availability during the peak-selling quarter. Still, anonymous sources tell Bloomberg Apple’s suppliers are prioritizing the tech giant over other smartphone OEMs.
The primary reason for the chip shortage is said to be due to production disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. However, Apple’s primary chipmaker TSMC says that 5G devices require 30 to 40 percent more silicon than 4G, which factors into the increased demand.
