Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, Odds and ends, Apple Financial
Apple taking it easy on flash memory order this year
CNET is reporting that iSuppli announced Apple is "cutting" their flash memory order this year, and in this case "cutting" doesn't mean "cutting" the way you or I would use it (as in, "The doctor said I had to cut my sugar intake, so I'll only have one doughnut instead of six."). No, it means "cutting" as in they're only raising their orders for flash memory by 16% instead of the expected 32% (which is like saying "I'll only eat three more doughnuts instead of six").Still, it's enough to send a few folks into a tizzy -- as CNET's Tom Krazit says so perfectly: "If Apple coughs, the flash memory market gets sick." I don't know that there's too much to read into this, except maybe that we probably won't see a brand new iPod this year. With the iPod touch and all the iPod iterations out right now, Apple pretty much has the market covered on mp3 players. That doesn't mean they won't drop lots of new products (I hear that they used to make computers of some kind), but it probably does mean that in terms of the current iPod brand, growth has peaked. Until they bring out that gaming device, flash memory isn't their biggest need.

![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)


Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Stu J said 2:31PM on 2-21-2008
This would have been funnier in LOLcat speak
haha ;o)
Reply
Dan Parmelee said 3:19PM on 2-21-2008
The donut analogy is priceless, LOL.
Reply
Billy K said 5:19PM on 2-21-2008
To me (not an analyst. Not even smart.), this means we will not see the retirement of HD-based iPods this year. We all know it's coming, just not in 2008 apparently.
Reply
ramond said 3:38AM on 2-22-2008
Actually capacity per chip has gone up so less chips are needed for the same estimated sales of the newer ipods.
Reply
basscadet said 6:26AM on 2-22-2008
so, no new iphones as well?
Reply
Yuvamani said 7:14PM on 2-23-2008
What I am scared about is the recession's(?) impact on ipod and iphone sales. This kind of data is worrisome and points to flattening iPod growth
Reply