iPhone 12 availability won't be helped by a new chip shortage

News
By Oliver Haslam
published

App Library on iPhone
App Library on iPhone (Image credit: iMore)

iPhone 12 and 12 Pro

iPhone 12 and 12 Pro (Image credit: Daniel Bader / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • Apple is reportedly struggling to source power management chips for its new iPhones.
  • iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro handsets are already in short supply.
  • iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max go on sale next week.

Apple is set to face an iPhone 12 lineup shortage according to a new Bloomberg report. The issue seems to be related to power management chips and their lack of availability – potentially constraining supply as we edge closer to the all-important holiday season.

However, while power management chips are in short supply it's thought that suppliers will give Apple priority over other companies, hopefully alleviating some of the issues stock shortages could cause.

It's unclear to what extent the bottleneck may limit iPhone availability during its crucial launch quarter, typically Apple's busiest. Despite the shortfall, suppliers are likely to prioritize Cupertino, California-based Apple and its power-hungry iPhone 12 over other customers lining up for scarce parts, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters.

Supply chain issues continue following the initial COVID-19 outbreak and while things have improved, Apple tends to struggle to meet iPhone launch demand even in a normal year. We can all agree that 2020 is anything but.

Apple CEO Tim Cook previously warned that there could be supply constraints across the entire product catalog.

The launch of iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max next week comes three weeks after iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro went on sale. That split launch window suggests that supply is already a problem for Apple – and it appears things aren't going to get better any time soon.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.