Apple has reduced production of iPad tablets to allocate more components to the iPhone 13, a sign that the global chip crisis is also hitting the American company, Reuters reports.
IPad production has halved in the past two months from Apple's initial plans, according to Nikkei, which writes that parts for older iPhones have also been redirected to the iPhone 13.
The reason why Apple prioritizes the production of the iPhone 13 is that it forecasts a higher demand for smartphones than for iPads, in the context in which the western markets are starting to emerge from the Covid pandemic.
In 2020, Apple ranked first in tablet sales, with 58.5 million units worldwide. The American manufacturer dominates the market, about 37% of the tablets sold last year globally being iPads.
Even though the production of the iPhone 13 has hit major issues, Apple has handled the chip and component crisis better than many other companies due to its massive purchasing power and long-term supply agreements. The company recorded much better figures than the main competitors in the third quarter, Reuters also writes.
The iPhone smartphone is Apple's most important product. In September, Apple Inc. launched an iPhone 13 equipped with a new chip called the A15 Bionic, which allows automatic translation of text. The phone also has a better screen, longer battery life, and Cinematic mode for automatic switching when shooting. The model is available in five colors and has a higher speed thanks to radio components and 5G technology.
It's not the first time Apple has given priority to iPhones over iPads. In 2020, the company redistributed some iPad components to the iPhone 12, its first full line of 5G phones, to protect its most iconic product from supply chain constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic.