Toshiba VP: Apple’s iPod shuffle memory demand so vast, we can in no way meet their needs currently

21 years ago

“Toshiba Corp. plans to boost capital spending on semiconductors for the current business year by 13 percent, accelerating plans to expand output of flash memory chips, a senior company official said on Monday. Toshiba will increase chip investment to a record 203 billion yen ($1.92 billion) for the year to March 31, up from an originally planned 179 billion yen, Corporate Vice President Masashi Muromachi said on the sidelines of a news conference. Toshiba earlier announced that it would move forward the production schedule at a new flash memory plant owned jointly with U.S. partner SanDisk Corp., citing a rapidly growing market for flash memories and intensifying competition,” Kiyoshi Takenaka reports for Reuters.

“‘When it comes to the supply-demand balance we are currently unable to satisfy all customer demands,’ Muromachi said, noting in particular the launch of iPod Shuffle by Apple Computer Inc. in January. ‘Demand created by this new machine is so vast that our current capacity can in no way meet their needs,’ he said,” Takenaka reports.

Full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Not bad for a “one hit wonder,” eh? A lot of people must not know that Napster’s CEO thinks they’re “stupid” for buying an iPod. Please note that every iPod sold, whether it be an iPod, iPod mini, or iPod shuffle means one more iTunes customer and almost certainly one less for the also-ran WMA music peddlers of the world. Napster et al. are hating life even more today than they were yesterday, if that’s possible. No word from the iRiver or “Creative” folks, yet. There must be no phone service out on the ledge.

And, yes, when Napster folds, we’ll the the first ones dancing the jig on their grave – accompanied by iTunes Music Store-purchased music playing on our Apple iPods.