Apple has cut back sharply on iPad production to allocate more components to the iPhone 13, Report informs referring to Nikkei Asia.
This is a sign the global chip supply crunch is hitting the company even harder than it previously indicated.
Production of the iPad was down 50% from Apple’s original plans for the past two months, sources briefed on the matter said, adding that parts intended for older iPhones were also being moved to the iPhone 13.
The iPad and iPhone models have a number of components in common, including both core and peripheral chips. This allows Apple to shift supplies between different devices in certain cases.
This is not the first time Apple has prioritized iPhones over iPads. In 2020, it reallocated some iPad parts to the iPhone 12, its first full-range of 5G handsets, to shield its most iconic product from supply chain constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This time around, shoppers are facing significant wait times for new iPads. In the Americas or Europe, those who ordered an iPad with 256 GB storage at the end of October will have to wait until December 15 for delivery, according to Apple's website. For those ordering the latest iPad mini, delivery will be around the first week of December. Consumers in China, Apple's third-largest market, also have to wait up to six weeks to get a new iPad.