Black Friday: Will you get the technology you want for Christmas?

As people rush to win their Black Friday deals, there's a growing concern that some gadgets won't be available for Christmas. Silicone, which is found in most products, has been in short supply since the pandemic due to high demand and production problems.

According to tech expert Trusted Review, the Nintendo Switch is the UK's most sought-after technology this year. Earlier this month, Nintendo revised its sales forecast due to "the effects of a global semiconductor shortage." Chip designer ARM has warned that the shortfall could delay the delivery of Christmas gifts like the Switch, saying that waiting for the chip could take up to 60 weeks in some cases.

PS5 and Xbox Series X and Series S have been very hard to buy since they launched last year. Demand for this new console will be high despite the chip shortage. When refilled from time to time, they often sell out in a matter of minutes.

The situation has created a community of console hunters trying to spot those rare times when supplies are being shipped to pass the news on to their followers. One of them is YouTuber Jake Randall, who claims to have contacts with multiple retailers who alert him when a new batch hits stores.

He also looked for clues on the website, with Amazon talking about a special console offer for Prime subscribers that a new promotion on the Internet could quickly follow. Jake told World Service Tech Tent, "It's tough to get a game console right now. This is probably the most difficult - even more so than on launch day or even at the start of the year.

"A lot of people have been waiting to get it because they thought it would be easier, but these companies couldn't produce enough to meet the demand. He added that the market is not supported by a community of people who use bots to buy consoles and sell them at high prices.