Technology is a blessing and a curse, and at the moment, it
is more of the latter for Apple. On Aug. 3, one of Apple’s suppliers suffered a
computer virus outbreak, which CNBC reports may lead to shipment delays on
behalf of the supplier. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) manufactures
the chip processors used in Apple iPhones.
According to CNBC, the possible shipment delays will impact
TSMC’s third quarter revenue by 3%, or $255 million, after the virus struck “a
number of computer systems” and fab tools used to make the chips. The supplier
was expected to resolve all issues by Monday, Aug. 6, and TSMC states the
outbreak occurred because of incorrectly installed software. However, no
confidential information was released.
Three days after the outbreak, analysts are waiting to see
how the supplier’s setback will affect Apple and the company’s rumored release
of three new iPhones in late 2018. In a note published Aug. 6, Fubon Research
forecasted that while the outbreak could delay the manufacturing of between 1.5
million to 1.7 million A12 chips, there wouldn’t be “a huge impact on iPhone
production.”
“Since TSMC indicated the delayed shipment from this
incident will be recovered in the following quarter, we think there will be no
meaningful impact on Apple’s new coming iPhone,” Fubon states. “In our view,
‘misoperation’ is simply not good enough an explanation. … We think TSMC needs
to provide more details of what happened to alleviate the security concerns of
customers and long-term investors.”
If there are any impacts to Apple, the consumer electronics
company is typically prepared for such delays by ordering surplus supplies, KGI
analysts added in the CNBC report.
—Andrew Michaels, editorial associate
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