We’ve been talking about the chip shortage since at least January this year, back when the automotive chip issues had Samsung issuing an early warning, saying: 

• “Because of the foundry supply shortages that have become an issue globally, the supply issue of other semiconductor parts could affect mobile demand, so we are closely watching the implications.”
• And that certainly came true!
• Someone is no doubt writing a book tracking the developments of the early part of the supply chain issues, all the way through to now, as we see many car plants still shut down, and even Apple struggling with chips.

The latest: Apple is cutting iPad production for the iPhone, per a report by Nikkei Asia.

• “Apple has cut back sharply on iPad production to allocate more components to the iPhone 13, multiple sources told Nikkei Asia, a sign the global chip supply crunch is hitting the company even harder than it previously indicated.
• Production of the iPad was down 50% from Apple’s original plans for the past two months, sources briefed on the matter said, adding that parts intended for older iPhones were also being moved to the iPhone 13.”
• Which, naturally, makes sense! The iPhone brings in 50% of Apple’s revenue, and despite its absolute staying power as the top-selling device, it does have decent competition from the likes of Samsung and now Google and so on.
• On the other hand, the iPad has no real competition, so even a shortage of iPads is unlikely to have many people straying over to Android tablets.
• That said, one of my colleagues is making a solid argument: “Detachable Chromebooks are better mobile computers than any iPad,” thanks to multiple app use, user profiles, more use-cases, price and value, and more.

Nintendo:

• The Nikkei Asiaalso reports that Nintendo will make 20% fewer Switch consoles due to the chip crunch, delivering around 24M units of its Switch console, from its original plan of 30M.
• “A Nintendo spokesperson acknowledged that the production is being affected by component shortages. ‘We are assessing their impact on our production,’ the spokesperson said.”
• “Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa had said the company was unable to manufacture as many console units as it had wanted to and that uncertainty remained over production.”
• Demand for the console remains strong, with the new OLED Switch being sold by lottery systems in many parts, and 89 million Switch consoles sold since 2017.

SpaceX:

• Starlink is struggling to fulfill orders: If you ordered up the satellite broadband service, the chip shortage is impacting the delivery of the “Dishy McFlatface” receiver dish (PCMag).
• “Silicon shortages have delayed production which has impacted our ability to fulfill orders. Please visit your Account page for the most recent estimate on when you can expect your order to be fulfilled,” SpaceX said on its FAQ on the Starlink support website.
• Reports are people are seeing deliveries slip from 2021 to early 2022.

🙇‍♂️ I think I missed linking our Pixel 6 review, the non-Pro review that looked at the entire value of the Pixel 6 at its very reasonable $600 price tag (Android Authority). And it’s always worth reading Ron Amadeo’s takes on Android phones, and he says exactly the same: the Pixel 6 is an easy buy recommendation, just that you might not be able to get one (Ars Technica).

🎧 Beats Fit Pro launched: Apple AirPods Pro in a sportier skin? (Android Authority).

👉 iPhone 13 Pro review second opinion: “The conclusion is obvious. If you’ve been eyeing an iPhone, the iPhone 13 Pro is as good as it gets.” (Android Authority).

🚫 Fortnite had never launched in China, but a China-specific test version of Fortnite had been widely played: now Epic has announced it’ll be shutting everything down and pulling out (TechCrunch).

🐱 Chris Pratt, the voice of Mario, will also be voicing Garfield (The Verge).

🔌 Tesla news: Tesla is letting non-Tesla EVs use its Supercharger network for the first time, in Europe where plugs are standardized. And, a new Level 2 at-home wall charger (using a J1772 connector) will work with other EVs too (The Verge). And, Elon Musk says Tesla hasn’t actually signed a contract with Hertz for 100k cars, so I don’t know what that means (Gizmodo). 

☕ Your next cup of coffee could be grown in a lab: beanless, made out of biomass, fermentations, and/or compounds that offer deep similarities (Wired).

🌡 Generator company Generac announces plans to buy smart thermostat company Ecobee(CNET).

🎽 Peloton brings stretching, meditation to Delta in-flight entertainment (CNET).

🔊 “I wish anyone other than Kanye had made the Donda Stem Player” (Engadget).

🌎 The negotiations in Glasgow continue to tackle catastrophic global warming, but one big commitment has already been made by 80 countries: The Global Methane Pledge, tackling a potent greenhouse gas. Brazil is set to join, too. (Bloomberg).

🧱 There’s a nice new bit of thermal storage tech out of Australia: reusable blocks (pv magazine).

🤔 “Therapists, what is something people tell you that they are ashamed of but is actually normal?” (r/askreddit).

Here’s a bit of insight into something topical via r/dataisbeautiful:

That’s fine and all, and interesting to see how many people believe in ghosts but at the same time, one person’s average ghostbusting ghost is another person’s spirit or presence or ancestor or Moaning Myrtle, and so on.

But really, the survey needs to be something like…

• “You walk through an abandoned house in the woods and hear noises and feel a faint tingle. Are you a little frightened or do you calmly rest on your PhD in astrophysics and continue thinking nothing is going on?”

Cheers,

Tristan Rayner, Senior Editor