By Lorna Brett

This year has seen the launch of a raft of must-have devices; from the iPad to 3D TV's and smartphones to tablet computers, consumers have been scrambling to purchase the very latest in technology - all of which has left the Asian market seriously short of electronic components.

According to the AFP, demand for iPads and iPhones have been so strong that Taiwanese touch-screen maker Wintek is struggling to keep-up with the demand for its components. Wintek said the shortage rose most sharply during the second quarter of this year.

"The strong demand exceeds our expectations. Our clients keep pushing us to increase supplies," a Wintek official told the news source.

Companies in South Korea are also facing issues when procuring components, but say there have been no significant delays in production and shipments of products. AFP reports that Samsung and LG factories are the busiest they have ever been.

"Our plants are now running at full capacity due to strong demand and brisk sales," a Samsung spokesman said.

As a result of such strong demand, analysts are tipping that Asian component producers will soon launch extensive expansion plans.

"Component makers for these products will keep expanding their output to meet growing demand," Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute analyst Matthew Chao told the AFP.

iSuppli records delivery delays

Electronics industry research organisation, iSuppli, has reported that for many devices the period between when a customer orders a product and when they receive it (the lead time) has gone far beyond the norm of 10 to 12 weeks.

"When lead times enter the 20-week range, they indicate a major schism between component supply and demand," iSuppli, a senior analyst for semiconductors and component price tracking Rick Pierson said.