If you’ve been having trouble getting ahold of a new iPad lately, it’s not just you—Apple has cut back on production for the sake of the iPhone 13. According to Nikkei Asia, global chip supply shortages have had a much more significant impact on production than anticipated. And since some components are shared between the iPad and the iPhone, Apple had to choose where to focus its resources. The decision to reallocate the necessary shared components (like M1 chips) to the production of the iPhone 13 is likely due to perceived demand. Apple also typically ships far more iPhone units than iPads. So the expectation is to sell more of the newest smartphone, which just was released in September, and it doesn’t want to fall short. However, iPad sales also have been rising, making the lack of availability more noticeable. As Nikkei Asia points out, this decision has resulted in significant delays on new iPad deliveries, with orders placed at the end of October expected to arrive in December. This applies to both the 256GB iPad and the iPad mini, according to delivery estimates on Apple’s website when an order is placed. Currently, there’s no estimate for when iPad production will return to normal levels, as the situation still depends on component availability. Until supply chains start to level out or Apple decides to shift more materials back to iPad production, manufacturing and delivery delays likely will continue.
