Kuo: Apple Silicon MacBook Shipments to Be Cut in First Half of 2022 Due to Component Shortages and Other Factors

Shipments of Apple Silicon MacBooks will be cut in the first half of next year due to component shortages, a decline in working from home demand, and the introduction of a redesigned MacBook Air in the third quarter of 2022, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's latest investor note, seen by MacRumors.

macbook pro vs macbook air
From the note:

We forecast that the shipment of Apple Silicon processor-based MacBook models will be cut by approximately 15% in 1H22 and attribute it to three reasons: 1) component shortages, 2) structural demand change in the post- COVID-19 era, and 3) product transition between legacy and new models.

According to Kuo, the shortage of components relates primarily to a continuing lack of power management integrated circuits, for which delivery times currently extend as far out as 52 weeks.

This shortage will hit all PC brands, but is said to coincide with the capacity expansion of Unimicron, one of the main IC providers in Taiwan and the sole supplier for the Apple silicon ABF substrate. As a result, Unimicron is expected to aggressively secure non-Apple ABF substrate orders to cut risk.

MacBook shipments are also expected to be impacted by the change in demand structure in the post-COVID-19 era will, with the number of people working from home declining and purchasing power falling due to inflation.

Kuo believes a new redesigned ‌MacBook Air‌ powered by next-generation ‌Apple Silicon‌ will enter mass production in the early third quarter of 2022, making the second half of next year a product transition period that will have an impact on MacBook orders.

Apple is still expected to launch redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models before the end of this year, likely to be announced via a digital event in October or November.

The latest macOS Monterey beta references two new built-in display resolutions that likely correspond to the upcoming 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. The new display resolutions are listed as "3456 x 2234 Retina" and "3024 x 1964 Retina," which would represent an increase in pixel density for a sharper image if the displays are the expected sizes.

Related Roundups: MacBook Pro, MacBook Air
Related Forums: MacBook Pro, MacBook Air

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in a Few Months With These 12 New Features

Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are around three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Here's Which Vehicle Brands Will and Won't Offer Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Friday June 27, 2025 9:52 am PDT by
Apple last month announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. There was news this week about which automakers will and won't offer CarPlay Ultra, and we have provided an updated list below. CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to newer Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Fortunately, if you cannot...
apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:40 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...

Top Rated Comments

cocoua Avatar
49 months ago
Waiting for M2/M1X is being the slowest time of my live.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hot-gril Avatar
49 months ago
Read the title twice as "cut in half" – phew.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icymountain Avatar
49 months ago

Read the title twice as "cut in half" – phew.
Yes, but if you read twice "cut in half" and sum the two halves, you get normal shipment. Problem solved. ?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wanha Avatar
49 months ago
These types of reports are always so myopic, because they focus on Apple in isolation.

In the big picture, Apple is the King Kong of component customers in the world, which is to say they get preferential treatment over all other customers, because every component manufacturer wants Apple as their customer.

So although Apple is also affected by component shortages, they are very likely to be the least impacted out of all the manufacturers out there.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
49 months ago
Hopefully, the new Macs are not going to be delayed.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macar00n Avatar
49 months ago

Another so called component shortages, had no troubles getting a iPad and iPhone on launch day.
Yeah sheeple, don't believe there is a component shortage just because every manufacturer across all industries has been reporting so for like a year. Supporting evidence: this one guy was not affected by it.

This is how I know global warming isn't real - some days I go outside and it's cold
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)