Apple is apparently irked at MacBook bearing supplier Kerson, has suspended its production for inspection purposes due to “quality issues,” and shifted orders to other suppliers through the end of the year.
Per Taiwanese industry publication, the suspension came after Apple discovered a high defect rate with the supplier’s bearings for the month of August. The bearings are used in previous-generation MacBook Air models, rather than the latest models, according to the report.
The units are not used in the current MacBook Air models, and the article offers the following explanation:
“Industry insiders indicate that the defects were present from the beginning, but Apple only detected them during destructive testing later in the process. A subsequent full batch inspection revealed a high defect rate. Fortunately, none of the faulty products have reached the market. However, bearing defects typically take one to two years of use before becoming noticeable to consumers.”
It is unknown exactly which component the report is referring to.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.