Buy a new smartphone? So far, it has been more a question of money and personal taste. But since the chip crisis, time has also become an essential factor. Often it is no longer so easy to get hold of popular models from major manufacturers. If you want a particular flagship, you have to be quick. Because: You suffer quietly and quietly, but Samsung and Apple, in particular, have hit the hardship of the chip shortage. There are several signs of this.
Popular Samsung Models Challenging To Obtain
Something went wrong: Recently, a colleague decided on a Galaxy S21 Ultra. He ultimately approached me with the question of an alternative. According to the provider, the delivery time for the flagship was several weeks.
But this does not only apply to purchases with a contract: Those who frequent the well-known shops will know that it doesn’t look any better with many retailers. At the time of writing, the S21 Ultra is entirely out of stock on Amazon, for example, and the S21 + will be ready for shipping in 1-2 months at the earliest. In some cases, cell phones are only available directly from third-party providers – often at inflated prices.
Or do you still remember the Galaxy A52? This is Samsung’s predicted bestseller for 2021, which is now completely sold out. After repeated problems with availability, the company pulled the plug completely. Instead, there is now a new model: the Galaxy A52s. This relies on a different chipset. We can only speculate here, but this chip may be simply more widely available than the SoC that Samsung used in the first A52. At least, according to rumors, this has been the case.
Delivery Times At Apple: A Disaster
We see something similar at Apple. Even in the CURVED shop, the iPhone 12 was no longer available for a short time, as many readers were interested in this model. Let’s take another look at the shipping giant Amazon: In the famous color blue, the mobile phone will only be available again in one to two months. The black version will not be available again until November. After all: the Pro versions are still available in sufficient numbers.
The iPhone 13 (Pro), which was recently released in stores, took it even harder. Sure: Usually, new Apple smartphones are always sold out quickly when they are released. However, things went particularly fast this year, and at least the Apple stores in Hamburg have also been as good as cleared. You can’t expect the iPhone 13 Pro here before November 2021. In short: the availability situation is even worse than we know from the last few years. And even at Amazon, you have to wait a month or two for the cheaper iPhone 13. Phew!
If you believe the rumor mill, this limited availability was announced. Allegedly Tim Cook already warned investors in July 2021 and spoke of restrictions in the supply chain. However, it is unclear whether the chip crisis also influenced the release of the Apple Watch Series 7. It would be conceivable, but supposedly completely different problems led to slow production here. After all, the company has now delivered a release date.
So There Was A Shortage Of Chips
- Many industries are affected by the shortage of chips. As is well known, chips are not only used in smartphones, computers, and game consoles. The automotive industry, for example, is also suffering from a shortage. As a result, the production lines at numerous locations are even at a standstill in places.
- According to Zeit Online, several reasons have led to the shortage. Including the increased demand for computers and smartphones at the beginning of the Corona crisis in 2020. For many users, this point in time also marks the beginning of a long home office phase. And as a result, the need for chips was also higher than usual.
- At the same time, the demand for new vehicles probably decreased – only to suddenly increase again later in the year and thus generate an even higher demand for chips. The manufacturers, therefore, first ordered fewer chips, then more later. But at the time, the factories’ capacities were planned elsewhere. The need for chips is higher than the supply.
- The factories that provide the replenishment of microchips were partially idle during the Corona crisis or produced with reduced capacity, among other things, because of the high number of infections. That, too, led to scarcity.
Secret Cancellations And Postponements
What the shortage of chips is doing to the smartphone industry is also shown by leaks about highlighting models that have not yet been released. We had already expected the Galaxy S21 FE in summer 2021. But nothing came of it. Some rumors even said that this model had been discontinued due to the shortage of chips.
But people believed the dead live longer, as is well known. The Google Pixel 5a was also canceled. It was said a while ago. It is now official – but only in some markets. The same is imminent for the Galaxy S21 FE from Samsung. According to the latest information, the smartphone is coming after all. But Samsung will probably not unveil the affordable top model until the beginning of 2022, probably due to the chip crisis and the resulting sluggish production.
The upcoming Galaxy S22 also reportedly got caught here. According to the leaks, the start planned for January 2022 (or December 2021) has also been postponed. Samsung wants to make sure that enough quantities are available for the market launch. Sam Mobile reports that the time will come in February at the earliest.
That Was Foreseeable: No Extra Sausage With Chips.
Let’s be honest: In the news, we read a lot about automobile manufacturers who shut down their plants for weeks or even longer – because they don’t have enough chips to produce them. And every CURVED reader should have noticed that the PlayStation 5 has also been complicated to obtain for almost a year. So why should the international chip crisis spare the significant smartphone manufacturers? You don’t make a big deal out of it. But here, too, there are strong effects.
What does that mean for you now? As a rule, you should shorten your thinking time before buying a new smartphone. Especially if it is a popular model, it could otherwise sell out quickly – or you are waiting for your cell phone as long as I am for my new car. However, I was fortunate with a delivery time of just under 3 months.
In addition: Due to the shortage, manufacturers such as TSMC (manufactures chipsets for Apple, Qualcomm, and Nvidia, among others) are charging higher prices for SoCs. According to Nikkei Asia, a significant price jump is already planned. And in the worst case, that could also drive up the cost of smartphones.
When Will The Chip Shortage Come To An End?
It is to be hoped that the end of the chip shortage will be in sight at some point in 2022. We don’t even want to know how many new smartphone releases behind closed doors have already been postponed or even wholly overturned. In addition, it isn’t enjoyable if the model you want is only available after a long wait.
Experts from the automotive and computer hardware industry assume that the chip shortage will remain with us until the second half of the year or even the end of 2022. Only then should the situation slowly relax again. Until then, you have to be quick – or wait.
Also Read- iPhone 13 Pro: Apple Beats Samsung In Terms Of Price-Performance Ratio
