Apple Building Momentum for 2022 Releases as Supply Chain Recovers
Apple's supply chain is finally recovering from shortages as it prepares for a slate of new product launches in 2022, DigiTimes reports.
In a paywalled report, DigiTimes claims that Apple's supply chain partners are expected to "remain in high gear" through February 2022 as demand for the latest iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Pro models remain strong. Apple faced severe component shortages and logistical difficulties late last year, hindering its ability to meet demand for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro. Component shortages for the iPhone 13 models were said to be so severe in the fall that Apple reallocated iPad components to be used in the iPhone.
Apple's suppliers reportedly started to overcome these shortages between November and December, enabling a gradual resumption of normal shipments through to the start of 2022. Sources speaking to DigiTimes claim that Apple's supply-side constraints will totally recover in the first-half of 2022.
With this increased confidence, Apple has now started volume shipments of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, sixth-generation iPad mini, and ninth-generation iPad. There are reportedly no signs of Apple planning to decrease its 2022 component orders for new devices, indicating that the company is optimistic about sustained production momentum moving through the year.
The report also reaffirmed Apple's plans to release the third-generation iPhone SE in the first half of this year, which is believed to assist suppliers in sustaining shipment momentum through to other product launches. In particular, the iPhone assemblers Foxconn and Pegatron, as well as Apple's PCB suppliers, are all moving to replenish their workforces to fulfill Apple's 2022 orders.
The company is expected to announce five new Macs, three new Apple Watches, its first mixed-reality headset, and more this year. For a detailed overview of everything Apple is anticipated to announce in 2022, see our What to Expect guide or listen to The MacRumors Show podcast.
Popular Stories
Apple plans to cut production of the iPhone Air amid underwhelming sales performance, Japan's Mizuho Securities believes (via The Elec).
The Japanese investment banking and securities firm claims that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are seeing higher sales than their predecessors during the same period last year, while the standard iPhone 17 is a major success, performing...
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across the Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, Clock, and Safari apps.
More features and changes will follow in future ...
Apple's software engineers continue to internally test iOS 26.0.2, according to MacRumors logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions.
iOS 26.0.2 will be a minor update that addresses bugs and/or security vulnerabilities, but we do not know any specific details yet.
The update will likely be released by the end of next week.
Last month, Apple released iOS 26.0.1,...
Apple on Wednesday updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro with its next-generation M5 chip, but previous rumors have indicated that the company still plans to announce at least a few additional products before the end of the year.
The following Apple products have at one point been rumored to be updated in 2025, although it is unclear if the timeframe for any of them has...
iOS 26.4 is expected to introduce a revamped version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence, but not everyone is satisfied with how well it works.
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said some of Apple's software engineers have "concerns" about the overhauled Siri's performance. However, he did not provide any specific details about the shortcomings.
iOS 26.4 will...
While the new iPad Pro's headline feature is the M5 chip, the device has some other changes, including N1 and C1X chips, faster storage speeds, and more.
With the M5 chip, the new iPad Pro has up to a 20% faster CPU and up to a 40% faster GPU compared to the previous model with the M4 chip, according to Geekbench 6 results. Keep in mind that 256GB and 512GB configurations have a 9-core CPU,...
Apple on Wednesday updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with an M5 chip, and there are two key storage-related upgrades beyond that chip bump.
First, Apple says the new 14-inch MacBook Pro offers up to 2× faster SSD performance than the equivalent previous-generation model, so read and write speeds should get a significant boost. Apple says it is using "the latest storage technology," ...
Apple plans to launch MacBook Air models equipped with the new M5 chip in spring 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple is also working on M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models that will come early in the year.
Neither the MacBook Pro models nor the MacBook Air models are expected to get design changes, with Apple focusing on simple chip upgrades. In the case of the MacBook Pro, a m...
With the fourth betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, Apple has introduced a new setting that's designed to allow users to customize the look of Liquid Glass.
The toggle lets users select from a clear look for Liquid Glass, or a tinted look. Clear is the current Liquid Glass design, which is more transparent and shows the background underneath buttons, bars, and menus, while tinted ...
