Apple Expecting iPad and Mac Supply Shortages in Second Half of 2021

Apple today announced its earnings for the second quarter of 2021 and held an earnings call during which Cook was asked what we can expect for Macs and iPads during the second half of the year in terms of supply.

imac m1 blue isolated 16x9 500k
Cook said that he would not provide product level details, but that there would be supply issues affecting the iPad and Mac lines.

"To Luca's point about shortages, those shortages primarily affect ‌iPad‌ and Mac," he said. "We expect to be supply gated, not demand gated."

The question was related to the chip shortages that have been affecting many technology companies. One analyst asked Cook when supply constraints might ease and when the industry might overcome some of the supply dynamics, and Cook said it was difficult to give a good answer, but Apple would do its best meeting product demand.

Most of the issue is legacy nodes, not just in our industry but other industries as well. In order to answer that question accurately, we would need to know the true demand from each player and how that changes over the next few months, so it's difficult to give a good answer.

We have a good handle on our demand, but what everybody else is doing, I don't know. We will do our best, that's what I can tell you.

Apple CFO Luca Maestri confirmed that Apple has seen an impact from the chip shortages and will see a sequential decline of approximately $3 to $4 billion revenue in Q3 2021 due to ‌iPad‌ and Mac supply constraints.

The constraints come from semiconductor shortages that are affecting many industries and it's a combination of the shortages and the very high level of demand that we're seeing for both iPad and Mac.

Rumors have already suggested that the 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro will be in short supply when pre-orders open this Friday, though that may be due to issues with the mini-LED display. Apple is preparing to launch both new ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ models and new ‌M1‌ iMacs, and it sounds like customers who want one of the devices should be prepared to order as soon as pre-orders go live in order to avoid long waits for the new products.

Top Rated Comments

lk400 Avatar
25 months ago

Of course they are expecting shortages, just when they’re about to be released hey hmmm. ?

Great marketing, panic buying due to low stock incoming. ?
You’re right! Tim Cook orchestrated this whole global chip shortage just to increase sales of an otherwise unpopular product - the iPad and mac. The plan to sell more by not selling more is genius!
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wackery Avatar
25 months ago
I’m so happy apple still makes and invests in the iMac
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Blackstick Avatar
25 months ago
Dell has had some of our enterprise Latitude orders open for 5 months... it's bananas. I'd order in the first two minutes if you want one of these bad boys quickly.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IllinoisCorn Avatar
25 months ago
I can't believe I am going to type this.

The new iMac design is growing on me.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LFC2020 Avatar
25 months ago
Of course they are expecting shortages, just when they’re about to be released hey hmmm. ?

Great marketing, panic buying due to low stock incoming. ?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
25 months ago
Buy used gear
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...
apple park at night 1

Apple 'Tracking Employee Attendance' in Crackdown on Remote Working

Thursday March 23, 2023 3:41 am PDT by
Apple is tracking the attendance of its employees at offices using badge records in order to ensure they are coming in at least three times a week, according to Platformer's Zoë Schiffer. Since April 2022, Apple employees have been operating on a hybrid home/office work policy as part of a gradual return strategy following the pandemic, with staff required to work from the office at least...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Rumor Recap: 10 New Features and Changes to Expect

Thursday March 23, 2023 6:42 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 series is still around six months away from launching, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes have been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in particular. Below, we have recapped 10 changes rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A1...
dynamic island

iPhone 15 Dynamic Island to Include New Integrated Proximity Sensor

Friday March 24, 2023 12:27 am PDT by
This year, all iPhone 15 models will include Apple's Dynamic Island that unifies the pill and hole cutouts at the top of the display, but there will also be a material change to the feature that wasn't included in the iPhone 14 Pro models. According to a new tweet by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the proximity sensor on the iPhone 15 series will be integrated inside the Dynamic Island ...
maxresdefault

Nothing Launches $149 Ear (2) Wireless Earbuds to Compete With AirPods Pro 2

Wednesday March 22, 2023 9:48 am PDT by
Nothing today announced the launch of its second-generation wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear (2), which offer many of the same features as Apple's AirPods Pro 2 at a lower price point. We went hands-on with the Ear (2) earbuds to see whether they're a viable alternative to the AirPods Pro 2 for those who want to save some cash. The Ear (2) earbuds are the successor to the Nothing Ear (1),...
voice isolation

iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:01 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today. Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa. Voice...
TMobile Sprint

Apple Stops Allowing Sprint iPhone Activations, Removes Sprint References From Online Store

Thursday March 23, 2023 12:06 pm PDT by
Apple is no longer allowing customers who purchase an iPhone, cellular iPad, or Apple Watch to activate a device with now-defunct mobile carrier Sprint. Apple has also removed remaining references to Sprint from its online store. When checking out with a new purchase, Sprint is no longer an option for connectivity, a change that Apple appears to have implemented today. Prior to now, Sprint...
airpodsd 3 purple 4

iOS 16.4 Seemingly References New AirPods and AirPods Case

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:43 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 release candidate version that was provided to developers today appears to hint at a new set of AirPods that could be coming in the near future. According to @aaronp613, the beta features references to AirPods that have a model number of A3048 and an AirPods case with a model number of A2968. There have been no rumors that new AirPods are on the horizon, and it is early for...