iPad 2 part shortage feared due to Japan crisis

The disaster in Japan will have a knock on effect for the technology industry, affecting many devices, including Apple's newly released iPad 2.

The iPad2 has sold over 1 million units already in the US, however the campaign has yet to hit the United Kingdom and parts of Europe. The Japan disaster means that various parts for the product may be in short supply. iSuppli said “Logistical disruptions may mean Apple could have difficulties obtaining this battery, and it may not be able to secure supply from an external, non-Japanese source.”

Toshiba are one of the companies who produce the NAND flash memory for the iPad 2 and they had closed a flash factory in Japan. They now say that getting raw materials is going to prove difficult. Other iPad2 parts are sourced from Japan, but some of the chips could be procured from other suppliers.

Goldman Sachs have warned that silicon wafer supplies will be troublesome and other aspects of the design could be affected, such as the conductive film used in LCD circuits and the resin used to connect chips to boards, products which are made by Japanese companies such as Shin Etsu, Mitsubishi, Hitachi and Sony.

KitGuru says: over the coming months the supply issues will be felt by many nations

Become a Patron!