Global Chip Shortage Threatens Production of Laptops, Smartphones and More


Ben Heck just released a video of him making a tiny console out of a ATTiny10.
Just in case people couldn't get a PS5 but want them fancy graphics for Christmas.

You can order these online for 28cents per chip. Now well also see a shortage of ATTiny10's :p
 
colonel Carter..... mmmmmm

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The better informed comments beneath that make for interesting reading, particularly the summary of the Reuter’s article
 
A friend can't be delivered his washing machine he ordered some months ago because of the shortage...
I think all this mess will lead to a far worse situation than previously estimated.
Pine64 just warned of rather worse to come in their latest update...
 
Pine64 just warned of rather worse to come in their latest update...
I didn't catch that on the blog, can you link to that update?

A friend can't be delivered his washing machine he ordered some months ago because of the shortage...
I think all this mess will lead to a far worse situation than previously estimated.
Soon scalpers will be buying all washing machines and putting them on ebay for twice the price :-#
 
One doesn't buy a washing machine that often. Surely the shelves in brick'n'mortar stores are somewhat of a buffer.
 
Yes, I doubt the washing machine shortage is likely to affect most of us, but it may be illuminating. IME people buy more cars than they do washing machines, so the percentage of the population that regularly buys (or more likely, rents through their firm) new cars is more likely to be directly affected.

I'm not sure how you even buy a washing machine months ahead of delivery, unless it was meant to be delivered a few days after the order and held back for months. Surely nobody preorders the latest and greatest, do they?
 
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I'm not sure how you even buy a washing machine months ahead of delivery, unless it was meant to be delivered a few days after the order and held back for months. Surely nobody preorders the latest and greatest, do they?

Relocation with unknown parameters.
 
I did check that specific blog, but I didn't read that part I guess:
"I’d like to finish this housekeeping section by making you aware that difficult times are ahead of us manufacturing-wise. It was a year ago to the day when I first wrote about the impact the COVID19 pandemic would have on the supply chain and manufacturing process in China. I reported on the situation more than a month before any big brand even murmured a word about the severity of the electronics shortages, which we all witnessed mid-and-late last year. You see, big brands don’t really want customers to know that their devices will not be available or in short supply. So here I am, a year later, once again being a bearer of bad news (edit: since originally writing this passage, 10 days ago or so, some reporting of the issues already begun in the media). We expect severe component shortages and major component price hikes after CNY. I am writing this to prepare you for what is to come. Production-wise, we’re entering a difficult phase and compromises will be made – there is no doubt in our minds that the emerging market situation will have a significant negative impact on PINE64. However, the extent of the impact won’t be known for at least an entire month, so let’s not worry too much about the unavoidable and hope for the least disruptive outcome. Keep your fingers crossed! I will, of course, keep you up to date on how things pan out."
 
My local electronic shop don't have Neutrik 6.3 mm stereo jacks since December.
They say that Neutrik themselves don't have anymore stock because of the shortage and can't even provide a resupply date...
It's only metal and plastic...
 
Unlikely to be related, as you say they're just a special arrangement of metal and plasic. Meanwhile the problem with the semiconductor fabricators is the special arrangement of silicates and dopants, quite different ;)
 
Maybe some parts of the assembly are manual labour. And to keep up with the new regulations (1.5 meters apart, etc) they need to remodel their building first. And having less people inside the building means the production costs go up so much that it's not profitable anymore? (small cheap things have crazy small margins, so you either produce in bulk, or don't produce at all). It's weird though, for more complex items people want to spend much more (big margin on, say, amiibo's; small margin on plastic cutlery)
 
Unlikely to be related, as you say they're just a special arrangement of metal and plasic. Meanwhile the problem with the semiconductor fabricators is the special arrangement of silicates and dopants, quite different ;)
My assumption is that companies would try to keep making money and if they aren't it's due to a good reason.

I would think it's the complete supply chain that got a hit due to the pandemic. Which would cause similar results in different area's. Not all companies can easily compensate even if they wanted to.
As FBnil mentions it can be that the initial response was to reduce production to the the new regulations; afterwards production was reduced or paused due to missing or expensive raw materials.

Could be that the people at the electronics shop are just giving some plausible excuse for not having parts in stock.
You can always contact the Neutrik themselves to see if they collaborate the story:
"At present, this has no negative impact on Neutrik's products and services. We have taken measures to reduce risks and have intensified our preparations for a regulated and stable operation in a potential isolation period. Our production continues in a two-shift operation in line with strict hygiene regulations, so that from today's perspective, delivery issues are not anticipated."
-Neutrik Team
Source: https://www.neutrik.com/en/news/we-are-still-here-for-you
 
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