Did Apple order half a billion dollars worth of flash memory to build a tablet?
Despite a long-term NAND flash memory supply that Apple secured in 2005, we now learn that the company recently ordered an additional half a billion dollars worth of NAND chips from Toshiba. So, why more chips if not to build a new device, like a tablet? Apple has recently placed an order for NAND chips with Toshiba, paid upfront, the company told investors during the third quarter earnings call Tuesday. Although Apple refused to release specifics of the agreement, the Cupertino company did say it placed the $500 million order in the September quarter. The additional flash memory could end up in iPhone, iPod touch, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle units, but also in a rumored Mac tablet. Apple conveniently revealed the new deal just as its 2005 multi-vendor NAND supply agreement is set to expire in less than year and a half. Timothy Cook, Apple’s chief of operations who acted as an interim CEO during Jobs’ absence, shared few details with investors on the conference call Tuesday. “We view f
