“Don’t anticipate a Pi 5 subsequent 12 months. Subsequent 12 months is a restoration 12 months,” the CEO mentioned. “There’s benefit, I believe, in us spending a 12 months earlier than we take a look at introducing something new, spending a 12 months recovering from what simply occurred to all of us.”
“Subsequent 12 months is a restoration 12 months”
Whereas there have been provide chain issues throughout a lot of the expertise sector, Raspberry Pi has been a very excessive profile instance. Its miniature computer systems, that are bought by each companies to energy their merchandise, in addition to by prospects immediately, have been exceptionally tough to purchase off the shelf for the 18 months because of knock-on results of the pandemic just like the global chip shortage. Whereas the corporate has continued to have the ability to provide these enterprise prospects, provides to hobbyists have suffered.
The hazard, Upton explains, is that introducing a brand new product whereas the corporate remains to be recovering dangers manufacturing of the brand new machine not with the ability to ramp up correctly to satisfy demand. It’d even threat “cannibalizing” provide of present fashions, by competing for assets like testing capability or packaging. That may be “a catastrophe” he says.
“We’re going to be very ginger about how we glance to maneuver ahead,” the CEO explains. Upton has beforehand mentioned that he expects provide to get better to pre-pandemic ranges by the second quarter of 2023. Talking to Explaining Computer systems, Upton mentioned that the corporate ought to be capable to begin fascinated by the Pi 5 within the second half of subsequent 12 months or 2024.
There are indicators that the scenario is already beginning to enhance. Earlier this month, the corporate introduced some enhancements to its provide chain channels, noting that it’s been in a position to put aside “a little over a 100,000 units” for buy by fanatics. “Whereas we’re not fairly out of the woods but, issues are definitely bettering,” Upton wrote.
It’s been over three years since Raspberry Pi introduced the Pi 4 in 2019, which already represents a big time hole between generational updates. A delay till 2024 or later means there could find yourself being 4 and even 5 years between the Pi 4 and Pi 5.