Editing Apple Inc. (section)

=== Challenges and Market Headwinds   ===
Despite its successes, Apple faced significant challenges in 2021. Industry-specific disruptions, particularly semiconductor shortages and supply chain bottlenecks, had a profound impact, costing the company an estimated $6 billion in lost sales <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/29/apple-chip-woes-will-end-but-us-china-supply-chain-war-just-starting-.html |quote=Apple lost $6 billion in sales due to the chip shortage in 2021. }}</ref> and forcing it to slash production targets for the iPhone 13 by up to 10 million units <ref>{{cite web |url=https://theferrarigroup.com/apple-reportedly-impacted-by-semiconductor-shortages/ |quote=Apple faced the need to cut its planned 2021 production targets for the iPhone 13 due to semiconductor chip shortages. }}</ref>.  

The fragility of Apple’s supply chain, exacerbated by COVID-19-related constraints <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373896436_Apple_Inc's_Massive_Demand_for_Chips_and_Semiconductors_under_COVID-19_and_its_Response_Strategies |quote=Apple's supply chain was described as very fragile and easily collapsed in 2021. }}</ref>, threatened to further dent sales by $4 billion to $8 billion in 2022 <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/02/chip-shortage-hurts-apple-nokia-daimler-and-volvo.html |quote=Apple's supply constraints related to Covid-19 could hurt sales by between $4 billion and $8 billion in 2022. }}</ref>. To counter these pressures, Apple took decisive steps to gain greater control over its supply chain, investing heavily in semiconductor partnerships and manufacturing capabilities. For instance, the company awarded an additional $410 million to II-VI from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/05/apple-awards-an-additional-410-million-from-its-advanced-manufacturing-fund-to-ii-vi/ |quote=Apple awarded an additional $410 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to II-VI in 2021. }}</ref> and collaborated closely with TSMC, which pledged $100 billion over three years to expand production capacity <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.macrumors.com/2021/04/01/apple-supplier-tsmc-invest-100-billion/ |quote=TSMC plans to invest $100 billion over three years to expand production capacity, including for Apple's A-series and Apple silicon chips. }}</ref>.  

On the competitive front, Apple faced intense rivalry from Samsung, Google, and Huawei, with the latter gaining significant market share in China, where Apple’s smartphone sales slumped <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/apples-smartphone-sales-slump-in-china-as-huawei-gains-market-share-b1a986df |quote=Apple's smartphone sales slumped in China as Huawei gained market share. }}</ref>. Regulatory scrutiny also intensified, with the DOJ and European Commission launching antitrust investigations into Apple’s App Store practices <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.techpolicy.press/under-pressure-antitrust-and-compeition-authorities-are-now-focusing-on-apple/ |quote=Apple is facing intense regulatory scrutiny from the DOJ and European Commission, signaling a new era of antitrust enforcement. }}</ref>.  

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