Amid persistent reports that Apple can't get enough of the components it needs to quickly build iPads and iPhone 4s, the latest tidbit suggests Chengdu, China-based manufacturer Foxconn Electronics is coming up short on both labor and materials.
Citing "sources from upstream component makers," Taiwan-based DigiTimes said demand for between 2.5 million and 3 million iPads per month for the second quarter may be impacted by the component shortage, which is in part connected to the earthquake in Japan.
Really?
DigiTimes quoted a Foxconn spokesperson as saying the company will do all it can to satisfy its clients' needs and is working to increase manpower.
An analyst was skeptical of the report because it suggests equal staffing problems at the Foxconn plant as well as those making the components.
"If Apple is having problems sourcing components, why are we not hearing the same from other vendors that are using the same manufacturers and component suppliers?" asked Jeff Orr of ABI Research. "Is this because Apple has a higher volume/yield expectation than other vendors? Does Apple own a part of the manufacturing plant and not enough staff is trained on how to build and test iPad 
2? Could there be some magical marketing overtones here to make it sound like the product is in greater demand than it really is?"
Orr noted that other vendors seem to have no difficulty shipping large volumes of electronics products.
"Why are they not being vocal about supply constraints? Apple has stated that it bought ahead key components to address these types of limitations. One of the potential side effects was limiting the balance of the media-tablet vendors from obtaining critical mass of components to compete with iPad. It all makes for a good story, but the results don't add up so far," Orr said.
Last month in an earnings call, Apple COO Tim Cook said the company faces "the mother of all backlogs" because of "staggering" demand for the iPad. DigiTimes said Apple's goal is 25-40 million units for 2011, and is pushing its suppliers for around 10 million units in the second quarter.
Interesting Quarter
"It is known that Apple is behind on iPad 2 production -- they want to build enough products to satisfy pent-up demand and put four to six weeks of inventory in the channel, as they recently did with iPhone 4," said Orr. "This quarter will be interesting for Apple because they are behind and don't have a clear picture of iPad 2 demand until supply catches up."
He said competitors are rushing to ramp up production to fill the demand for media tablets, but Apple's lead in the market seems firm.
"ABI Research still expects Apple to have the majority of market share for media-tablet shipments in 2011, but these transitional hiccups between iPad 1 and iPad 2 are not slamming the door on competition."
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