Delay of iPod touch shipments may affect NAND flash price turnaround

Expectations of rebounding NAND flash prices due to rising shipments of iPod touch may be dashed since touch screen panels are running short at present, according to market sources.

Following the launch of the iPod touch in September Apple originally planned to rapidly grow global shipments up to the year-end holidays. However, due to the shortage of touch screen panels, volume shipments have been pushed back to this month, added the sources.

The shortages have affected shipments from NAND flash makers to Apple. If the NAND flash makers were able to make shipments to Apple as planned, they would not have had to face pressure to sell their products to other vendors. In the long-term it is unlikely prices in the NAND flash market will stabilize, noted the sources.

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