The international consumer electronics supply chain could soon be interrupted by the continuing disasters in Japan caused by recent earthquakes, tsunamis and nuclear catastrophes. That involves access to elements that make up PCs, as well as components of Apple products, like the iPad 2 and the approaching iPhone 5, professionals say. News of such disruptions comes first via Acer Taiwan president Scott Lin, who says that, while the PC industry’s supply chain will remain unchanged for 2.5 to 3 months, some organizations are beginning to stockpile their stocks of DRAM and LCD panels, causing short-term price inflation for those elements, Digitimes reports. Lin also says that the availability of silicon wafers and mastic used in LCD panel set up, 90 percent of which is generated by Japan-based organizations Sony and Hitachi, are already in short supply.
Based on Lin, who knows first-hand how natural disaster can impact the electronics industry after experiencing the 1999 Taiwan earthquake, says that the key to solving the supply trouble is to recover Japan’s power system, which is presently in shambles due to multiple nuclear meltdowns. As iSuppli major analyzer Michael Yang tells Computerworld, a shortage of NAND flash memory chips, which are often used in tablets and smartphones, is already started due to production interruptions at Toshiba, which creates about 40 percent of the world’s NAND chips. The short supply of NAND flash memory could probably trigger a delay in the launch of Apple’s next-generation iPhone, which is expected to debut in June. But because of Apple’s position in the marketplace, the Cupertino-based corporation has little cause for concern. “Apple’s buying power and its partnership with the [NAND] companies means it will get priority,” Yang tells Computerworld.
“There are three other main vendors of NAND — Samsung, Hynex and Micron — and there’s enough flex there that it shouldn’t be a huge issue for Apple.” Other organizations, including HP, Nokia and Motorola, could also be affected by an NAND shortage. Production of the iPad 2 could also experience hang-ups, according to iSuppli analyst Wayne Lam who spoke with All Things Digital. The problem primarily centers on the iPad’s three-cell li-ion battery pack, which Lam believes is manufactured in Japan. With disaster in Japan still taking its catastrophic toll on countless lives, the last thing on most people’s minds at the moment is how their future electronics purchases might be affected. But in this age of a global economy, it’s something everyone — from Steve Jobs to your neighborhood Best Buy register jockey — should start to consider.
