TPM 2.0 Requirement Could Affect Windows 11 Upgrade For Many Users

Windows 11 has just been officially announced last night as a free upgrade for Windows 10 users. However, the minimum system requirements for the new operating system are now much higher than its predecessor which include having a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip.

TPM is a microprocessor that is designed to perform security functions such as storing encryption keys and login information. Microsoft has made the TPM 2.0 chip mandatory for certified Windows devices since 2015 which mean PCs that were manufactured before 2015 would likely not have the chip and will be ineligible for the Windows 11 upgrade.

On another hand, those who built their own PCs may not notice that a TPM chip has been integrated directly into their CPUs in the form of Intel Platform Trust Technology or AMD Platform Security Processor fTPM. Of course, this is provided that their Intel or AMD chip was released within the past 5 to 7 years as pointed out by Microsoft’s Director of OS Security, David Weston.

According to The Verge’s Tom Warren, even if your computer has a TPM chip, you’ll still need to make sure that Secure Boot is enabled in your motherboard BIOS before you’re able to upgrade. Each manufacturer has different steps to enter the BIOS, so you may need to do a bit of research for your own machine.

There are generally two ways to check if your desktop computer or laptop has a TPM chip. One, you could do it manually through Windows Terminal — Tom’s Guide has provided step-by-step instructions here. Or two, you could just download Microsoft’s new PC Health Check tool that will tell you if your machine meets all the requirements for the upgrade as per what we have mentioned in our previous report.

If you find yourself left out in the cold, there are a few ways to get around it but they are definitely not for the faint of heart. For example, ExtremeTech found that they could install the OS on incompatible systems by virtualising a TCM 2.0 module through VMWare Workstation Pro 16. You could also buy and install the module yourself provided your motherboard supports it, which may be tricky for some users out there.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Warns Chip Shortage Could Affect Its iPad, Mac Supply

Apple CEO Tim Cook warned that the ongoing global chip shortage could squeeze its supply of M1-powered products, like the new iPad Pro and iMac 2021, later this year.

“The shortages primarily affect ‌iPad‌ and Mac,” Cook told analysts, according to the BBC. “We have a good handle on our demand – but what everybody else is doing, I don’t know.”

Earlier this month, it was reported that Apple delayed its production for the Macbook and iPad, pushing back a portion of its component order for the two products from the first half of the year to the second half.

Cook said the company would do its best to confront these shortages, but added that it would be “very, very difficult” to predict when they would end.

Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC, which makes chips for Apple, warned that the chip shortage might last into 2022, with an easing only happening in 2023. The company is spending an extraordinary US$100 billion (~RM413.8 billion) over the next three years to boost the chip-making capacity of its plants.

Foxconn, which also counts Apple as a client, sees the shortage running well into the second quarter of next year. So there’s at least some agreement on the time frame.

As we’ve noted before, a global chip shortage is currently strangling the supply of everything from cars and smartphones to graphic cards and gaming consoles. Largely caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the shortage has been notably worsened by rising trade and political tensions between the US and China.

Analysts: Ongoing Semiconductor Shortage Could Still Affect Sony PlayStation 5 Supply

As more Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5) supplies slowly and steadily make their way into the hands of consumers, the company’s gaming chief also assured gamers that it will be able to produce a “decent number” of the console during the second half of 2021. However, some industry analysts are seeing signs to the contrary.

Several analysts point out that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding lockdowns have been a source of pain and grief to the production chain of many semiconductor producers and brands. This also includes brands within the automotive and smartphone industry.

Sony, however, seems to be feeling optimistic about the future sales of the PS5. Jim Ryan, president and chief executive officer for Sony Interactive Entertainment, expects the current supply limitation for the consoles to get better throughout the year. However, Ryan fell short of providing a guarantee that Sony would have enough PS5 in stock to meet this year’s holiday sales season.

Since its launch last year, Sony sold a total of 4.5 million PS5s in November and December, and has plans to outperform the sales figure of its predecessor, the PS4. Of which it sold 14.9 million units in the first 12 months of its existence.

By comparison, Nintendo sold 26 million units of its Switch console during the whole of 2020, while Microsoft sold just 2.8 million Xbox Series X and Series S consoles within the same November and December time frame last year. It also doesn’t help that demand for the PS5 is still running high and even worse, it’s a factor with no end in sight.

On another note, Sony recently announced that a 2nd generation PSVR headset was in the works, although unsurprisingly, the announcement was lacking a great deal of detail.