Apple calls Synaptics to make clickwheels for the Nano
Unable to meet holiday demand, Apple asks Synaptics to lend them a helping hand in the production of Nano clickwheels. We had noted a couple of months ago that Apple chose to go with Cypress Semiconductor and dismiss Synaptics (their scrollwheel partners for all iPod iterations, till the Nano came) since they could get the same product for less than half the money (Cypress clickwheel costs ~$.45 vs Synaptics’ $1).
According to ThinkSecret:
It is not known how long Santa Clara, Calif.-based Synaptics will be making chips for the nano, how many it is contracted to supply, or at what price Apple is buying them for. It’s also not known if Apple is buying chips from Synaptics at a cheaper price and using their own proprietary application, or if the chip is using Synaptics own software solution.
A slight paradox of note: They’re employing Synaptics because they can’t meet demand, yet company insiders view the original estimates of selling 8-10M iPods during the holidays a bit too optimistic, considering the 7.5M figure to a far more logical one.
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