Apple is facing a shortage of chips that manage the power consumption of its iPhones and other devices, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, quoting people unfamiliar with the matter. The shortage could affect Apple's ability to meet consumer demand for its new flagship handset this holiday shopping season.
Power management chips are one of the most expensive components after the main application processors that act as the brains of a device, modems, and memory chips.
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The cause of the shortage is trade restrictions and supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19, the news agency's sources said. US attempts to restrict sales to Huawei have resulted in the competitive Chinese company stocking up on components and leaving fewer parts for other buyers.
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Huawei was blacklisted by the US in May 2019 when it was added to the US Entity List (PDF). At the same time, President Donald Trump signed an executive order essentially banning the company due to national security concerns that Huawei has close ties with the Chinese government. Huawei has repeatedly denied these charges.
The shortage arises as the global electronics industry continues to grapple with the effects of lockdowns that prevented factories from being fully occupied. The disruption is expected to continue for the next six months, the sources said.
Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
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