Apple diversifies suppliers ahead of iPhone 14 launch

San Francisco, July 24 (IANS) In a bid to avoid potential supply chain shortages when mass production of the devices begins, tech giant Apple has added to its list of suppliers for the iPhone 14 series.According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, components from SG Micro have passed quality certification for the high-end iPhone 14 models, indicating that the Chinese company has been greenlighted to supply components for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.SG Micro specialises in integrated circuits, and Apple will use its power management integrated circuitry in the upcoming iPhones, reports MacRumors.Kuo noted that this is the first time SG Micro has provided components for high-end iPhones, implying that its technical capabilities have reached the “tier-1 level” required for use in premium consumer electronics.Kuo recently said that some iPhone 14 components, such as display panels, are facing supply chain issues, but the analyst believes the issues will have a limited impact on the upcoming mass production of iPhone 14 models, which are expected to be announced in September.The lineup is expected to include the 6.1-inch iPhone 14, 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max.AHowever, the tech giant might discontinue the 5.4-inch iPhone mini this year.A recent report said that the upcoming iPhone 14 is likely to be $100 more costlier than iPhone 13.–IANSvc/ksk/