Toshiba Ramping Up Flash Production Ahead of iPod Refresh?
DigiTimes reports that Toshiba is planning to ramp up its NAND flash memory production in August, with claims that the production is tied to contracted orders leading to speculation that Apple has begun preparations for launching new iPods soon after. The news is unsurprising, as Apple's yearly product cycles generally see updates to the iPod line in the September/October timeframe.
Toshiba is expected to ramp up its NAND flash production to over 90% of its capacity in August, according to sources at memory card makers. Despite the increases in output, the chipmaker has told downstream players that its supply to the spot market will be limited, prompting speculation that the Japan supplier is seeing strong demand from Apple, the sources indicated.
Apple noted during its earnings conference call last week that it had made a $500 million prepayment to Toshiba for flash memory.
Third-party iPod case manufacturers in China have also been launching products designed to fit rumored iPod touch and iPod nano revisions, although just how much advance information such manufacturers are privy to remains unclear.
Continued rumors of an Apple tablet release before the end of the year will also lead to speculation that some of Toshiba's production ramp may be related to the launch of the new device.
Popular Stories
In June 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more.
Apple says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in late 2023, with committed automakers including Acura, Audi,...
AirTags may be a convenient way for tracking dogs that might get off leash or otherwise lost, but there are dangers associated with the practice, as outlined by a report from The Wall Street Journal.
At 1.26 inches in diameter, AirTags are able to fit easily on a dog's collar, but that size also makes the tracking devices small enough to swallow, at least for a medium to large-sized dog, and ...
Apple will launch a foldable iPad with a carbon fiber kickstand sometime next year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. In a series of tweets, Kuo said he expects an "all-new design foldable iPad" to be the next big product launch in the iPad lineup, with no other major iPad releases in the next nine to 12 months. The analyst said he...
Apple violated United States labor laws when it sent out an email warning employees about leaking confidential information about the company, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) said today in a ruling shared by Bloomberg.
Rules that Apple has established around leaks "tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees" from the exercise of their rights under the National Labor...
Following last week's hardware announcements, this week saw the actual release of several of the new products as well as operating system updates bringing new features and bug fixes across Apple's platforms.
This week also saw some fresh rumors about the iPhone 15 lineup and Apple's upcoming AR/VR headset, while we shared some tips to help you get the most of your macOS experience, so read...
Multiple rumors have suggested that the next-generation iPhone 15 models will adopt the Wi-Fi 6E standard that Apple has already introduced in the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro, and now a leaked document appears to confirm Apple's plans.
Sourced from researcher and Apple leaker Unknownz21 (@URedditor), the document features diagrams of the iPhone 15's antenna architecture. D8x refers to the...
Apple's next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are expected to be announced in September as usual. Already, rumors suggest the devices will have at least eight exclusive features not available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
An overview of the eight features rumored to be exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro models:A17 chip: iPhone 15 Pro models will be equipped with an A17...
