A new report claims that Apple’s iPad shipments are expected to remain stable in the second quarter of this year, even though the tablet industry continues to feel the impact of the global chip shortages.
Industry-wide, an ongoing integrated chip shortage has been caused by the global pandemic, as well as weather-related events like the freeze in Texas that shut down Austin chip plants.
During the pandemic, users have purchased devices to use at home during quarantine, leading to chip factories straining to keep up, leading to higher prices. Electronic companies have bought up all available supplies, even though chip makers are running at full capacity.
Global tablet shipments totaled 35.95 million units in the first quarter of 2021, down 22.7% sequentially, but 45.5% on year, according to DigiTimes.
Apple’s new iPad Pro models should help Apple to buck the current downward trends in the global market, with most non-Apple brands expected to witness sequential declines in second-quarter shipments.
Although the DigiTimes report says Apple will remain unscathed by the chip shortage in Q2, unbranded or “white-box” tablet vendors have been hit hard by the shortages, losing market share to inexpensive brand name models.
A recent Bloomberg report said Apple’s new 12.9-inch iPad Pro may face constrained availability when it launches later this month, due to mini-LED display production issues.