Apple expects iPad and Mac shortages ahead of new iPad Pro and iMac launches

While Apple has reported a new quarterly revenue record for its fiscal 2021 second quarter, it cannot escape the semiconductor shortage that continues to plague the consumer electronics industry and beyond. In an earnings call, Tim Cook stated that shortages would 'primarily affect iPad and Mac', rather than other flagship product lines like the iPhone and Apple Watch.

CFO Luca Maestri added that the shortages could cost Apple US$3 to US$4 billion in expected revenue in Q3 2021, alone. Apparently, the supply squeeze has come from legacy nodes, rather than the latest 5 nm and 7 nm ones found in modern SoCs. So, while Apple may have availability of its M1 SoC, shortages of older nodes will prevent it from producing as many iPads and Macs as it would like to.

Hence, the latest iPad Pros may be hard to come by throughout the second half of 2021. Similarly, MacRumors expects Apple to have limited stock of the new iMac, which starts at US$1,299. Both devices will be available to pre-order on April 30, but they will not start shipping until the 'second half of May'.

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