Submitted by: arnesr
Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/1/11995.html
I know this was posted a couple months back, but here's an update. Phone frenzy is jacking up CD-RW prices The half of the population that owns mobile phones may have inadvertently pushed up the price of CD-RW drives. It seems that a shortage of the drives - particularly the slimline versions designed for laptops - can be attributed to a deficit of RF amplifiers - chips that boosts radio signals. This is also used in handheld computers and cell phones, and these shortages have interrupted the manufacturing chain. Furthermore, shortfalls in all things silicon are predicted for Q4. The problem starts at the source, with a scarcity of silicon. It seems that last year manufacturers placed extremely large orders with the fabs, which were not met by customer demand. This year the orders have been more conservative, and the PC manufacturers are unable to increase volume quickly enough, and since the factories are honouring contracts with the mobile companies they don't have any surplus. [...] In the US at the end of last year a CD-RW drive sold for an average of $215. Over the last four months this has risen to $250. |
