- 0-20%: Unlikely - Lacks credible sources
- 21-40%: Questionable - Some concerns remain
- 41-60%: Plausible - Reasonable evidence
- 61-80%: Probable - Strong evidence
- 81-100%: Highly Likely - Multiple reliable sources
60%
Plausible
A chip supply deficit is a situation that no company wants to face, especially when it hinders a popular product’s supply. Apple has witnessed tremendous success with the MacBook Neo launch, which starts from $599, and is reportedly facing A18 Pro chip supply issues earlier.
This conundrum not only threatened the company’s ability to ship its more affordable computer to customers, but Apple also faced the possibility of having to overpay TSMC for the same silicon due to the latter’s supply choke.
Fortunately, the Cupertino firm didn’t reach its trillion-dollar status by caving in, which is why it has reportedly asked suppliers to raise the MacBook Neo’s production target to 10 million units this year while having to pay TSMC a hefty premium to secure A18 Pro chip supply.
The new production target may force Apple to raise MacBook Neo prices due to DRAM and A18 Pro cost bumps, but the introduction of newer colors might soften the blow for customers
With Apple laser-focused on putting more MacBook Neo units in the hands of customers, Culpium reports that the initial production target estimate of 5 million to 6 million units has been raised to 10 million. As delivery times for the company’s most affordable Macs reach up to 4 weeks, Apple is working to address obstacles and ensure there are no more excessive delays.
One of those obstacles is requesting TSMC to provide Apple with fresh A18 Pro chips, which is going to be much more costly than before, as the Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer’s 3nm N3E node is operating at peak capacity thanks to AI customers, leaving next to nothing for Apple.
For those who don’t know, the MacBook Neo is powered by a binned A18 Pro that performs identically to the non-binned version running in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max in CPU-related workloads, with a minor performance penalty in GPU tests since the MacBook Neo’s SoC sports a 5-core GPU instead of a 6-core one.
However, on this occasion, Apple will have to pay more since TSMC will produce non-binned A18 Pro units. While the report mentions that the wafer manufacturer can forego premiums for a ‘hot-lot run,’ producing non-binned chips is obviously more expensive than their ‘defective’ counterparts.
Not only this, but Apple has to pay more for its next DRAM supply, which will definitely push up the MacBook Neo’s Bill Of Materials (BOM). The report states that one way the company can soften the financial blow for customers who have to pay more is to add fresh colors, but online retailers like Amazon have plenty of units in stock, and that too at a lower price. For instance, the 256GB SSD model is going for $589.99, whereas the 512GB storage variant is listed for $689.99.
News Source: Culpium
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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