Apple Faces Supply Concerns in Earthquake Aftermath
Friday, March 18, 2011 at 10:25AM Electronics manufacturers face a parts shortage as the conditions in Japan continue to worsen.
Apple may face shortages of key parts for its newly released iPad 2, according to research firm IHS iSuppli. The country of Japan continues to experience power outages, transportation issues, and now a possible nuclear meltdown.
"Should the Japan crisis be prolonged, I expect a shortage of electronic parts in the second quarter," said James Song, an analyst at Daewoo Securities, noting Japan provides 57 percent of the world's wafers, used to make the chips that go into mobiles phones, cameras and other electronic devices.
Japan exported 7.2 trillion yen ($91.3 billion) worth of electronic parts last year, and 2011 was supposed to top that.
Apple isn't alone, Toshiba and many auto makers are holding their collective breathe waiting to see what happens.
