See, Carmakers, the Chip Shortage Isn't Personal

After months of automakers and supportive governments complaining that a shortage of chips was hurting business, two more companies have come out to show that they’re not alone. Neither makes cars.

Samsung Electronics Co. is facing a serious imbalance in semiconductors globally, with the shortfall to hurt its business next quarter, executives said at its annual shareholders’ meeting Wednesday. The company later clarified that a possible delay in the release of its flagship Galaxy Note smartphone isn’t related to the shortage but is aimed at avoiding the release of two models with a stylus in the same year. It unveiled three variants of its Galaxy S21 in January. Meanwhile, Taiwanese PC maker Asustek Computer Inc. told investors that it expects chip demand to outstrip supply through the first half. This quarter alone, component availability is around 25% to 30% lower than required, the Taipei-based company said.

For carmakers, to see another sector impacted serves as affirmation that this isn’t personal. Companies from Europe to the U.S. have bemoaned the fact that manufacturers of semiconductors didn’t prioritize auto chips at the expense of other sectors of the global supply chain, such as smartphones, computers and games consoles. Honda Motor Co. has become the latest example, with Reuters reporting that it will suspend some production at facilities in North America for one week due to an amalgam of factors that includes chip shortages, port congestion and winter weather.