Well… a number of folk asked me – Bal, where’s your regular blog post about the latest Black Friday Deals? – Well.. I didn’t do one on purpose this year. Because a) most have been on the same low price previously and b)… well, you’ll see below why.
And with that, first up – We may not have enough gadgets and tech items for Christmas!
As people rush to snap up their Black Friday deals, there are mounting worries that some gadgets won’t be available for Christmas.
Silicon, which is in most products, is in short supply because of high demand and manufacturing problems since the start of the pandemic.
The world now faces one of the most extreme chip shortages it has seen.
It means that this year, people may be disappointed when it comes to giving and receiving tech as presents.
According to technology experts Trusted Reviews, the Nintendo Switch is the UK’s most wanted piece of tech this year.
Earlier this month, Nintendo revised its sales forecast because of “the effects of the global semiconductor shortage”.
Chip designers ARM warned the scarcity could delay Christmas gifts like the Switch being delivered on time and said that, in some instances, the wait for chips is taking 60 weeks.
The PS5 and the Xbox Series X and Series S have been extremely difficult to buy since they launched last year. Demand for these new consoles would have been high regardless of the chip shortage. When they are occasionally restocked, they often sell out in minutes.
Apple’s iPhone is also a much wanted gift for Christmas, after its latest generation model was released in September.
The company recorded a 54% increase in revenue in the first three months of 2021, when compared with the same period last year.
But it faced “larger than expected supply constraints” between June and September, and said that the chip shortage is now affecting “most products”.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook previously warned investors that it could affect sales of the iPhone and the iPad.
There are less handsets available too. Apple had originally planned to produce 90 million iPhones in the final months of this year, but cut that figure by 10 million because there were not enough available parts.
There are also reports that Samsung and OnePlus are struggling to keep up with demand for their phones.
Earlier in the year, Google was forced to limit its Pixel 5a launch to only the USA and Japan.
The big question is – when will it end?
Experts have predicted the shortage could go on for another year or so.
Pedro Martins, co-founder of IT company Totality Services, said: “The reality is, the silicon chip shortage has been ongoing for some time now, it just wasn’t visible to the general public.
“It’s more prominent now because of the sheer volume of user devices that require chips. In the past it was mainly servers, workstations and laptops that needed the chips, that’s no longer the case.
“The reality is, no-one actually knows when the shortage will end, but it will without a doubt improve in the short term.”
Next up… It’s the end of the road for the Phone!
Apple’s AR headset could arrive in 2022, powered by two processors, according to noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The device could support both Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) and could sport micro-OLED displays when it is launched next year. Apple has already made strides in AR technology on the iPhone and iPad with the addition of LiDAR technology on the iPhone 12 Pro. The company’s AR wearables have been rumoured for several months, and the analyst believes that the company could be looking to replace the iPhone within a decade.
While the Cupertino company is yet to announce any plans for AR or VR headsets in the coming year, Kuo believes that Apple could launch a powerful AR headset in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to a report by 9to5Mac. The rumoured AR headset could feature processing capabilities similar to those of a Mac and could operate independently of a Mac (PC) or an iPhone (phone) while supporting a range of applications.
According to Kuo, Apple’s AR headset could be powered by two chips, a powerful one that offers similar power as last year’s M1 Mac, and a less powerful chip for handling sensors on the headset. It could come with VR support as well, according to Kuo, who adds that the device could come with two Sony 4K micro-OLED displays.
Kuo also suggests that Apple could eventually replace the iPhone with AR in a decade, “representing the demand for Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF) of AR headsets will exceed at least one billion pieces in ten years,” according to the analyst, who adds that the company will have to sell “at least one billon AR devices” in ten years, to replace the iPhone in a decade.
So there you go… gadget shortages for Christmas (so plan ahead!) and will you really need a phone for the future!