Will The Disaster In Japan Delay iPad 2 Production?

I almost didn’t write this post because I didn’t want to appear insensitive to the disaster in Japan. Nor do I want people to think I only care about how the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown affects the technology we enjoy in the US and around the world.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people first and foremost. I can’t imagine what they are going through and I hope they can get on the path to rebuilding soon.

That said, a lot of the components going into the iPad 2 come from Japan. So there are going to be supply issues down the road.

Appleinsider has an interesting post about the various investment and research firms that are speculating about exactly what components will be affected. Here’s the list they’ve come up with so far:

NAND flash from Toshiba Corp.;

dynamic random access memory (DRAM) made by Elpida Memory Inc.;

an electronic compass from AKM Semiconductor;

the touch screen overlay glass likely from Asahi Glass Co;

and the system battery from Apple Japan Inc.

The post goes on to say that some suppliers say they won’t be affected by the disaster. I’ve read other articles that points out Toshiba makes this claim. However, being able to manufacture these products might be easier said than done.

These companies still have to bring in the raw material. Employees still have to get to work. This is where the bottleneck might occur:

More specifically, Rassweiler said that suppliers are expected to encounter difficulties in obtaining raw materials supplied and distributed as well as in shipping out products. They also are facing difficulties with employee absences because of problems with the transportation system, he added.

Such challenges are reportedly being compounded by interruptions in the electricity supply, which could have a major impact on delicate processes, such as semiconductor lithography. In addition, semiconductor facilities in Japan that had suspended manufacturing activities following the quake “cannot truly commence full production again until the aftershocks cease,” according to the report.

There is no mention in Appleinsider’s post about how long these potential delays could be, if they have any affect on the iPad 2 at all.

For me, this is a lesson in how small the world is and how connected we are. Events that happen a thousand miles away can (and will) have big consequences everyone.

Related Posts

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• Move over Kindle, Japan is way ahead in the ebook game!
• ‘Cell phone novels’ enjoy growing popularity in Japan
• My Take: Analyzing the iPad Effect on the E-Reader Market
• Why the iPad isn’t the ideal e-reader

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