Yes, the PS5 restocking situation is bad. And the global chip shortage is beginning to affect even more consumer products. Everything from washing machines to toasters could be affected by the shortage of silicon-based products.

According to the Irish Times, everything from camera modules to display drivers are in need of components that are in short supply.

If the problem persists, some smartphone makers may be forced to delay new launches. And available cell phones, TVs, and cars could see price increases due to chip shortages.

General Motors recently explained that some of its 2021 trucks will be delivered to customers missing the critical processor that stops the engine cylinders when the engine is not needed; trucks with GM's 5.3-liter V8 engine will see their fuel economy drop by 1 mpg lower.

Other vehicles could also be affected, and VW has acknowledged that the chip shortage will have some impact on its business. Modern cars rely incredibly heavily on a variety of computer systems, from engine performance management to in-car entertainment systems that rely heavily on both CPUs and GPUs.

Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins told the BBC that the situation is unlikely to improve in the next six months. He said, "I think it will take another six months to get through the short term. Providers are building more capacity. And it will get better and better over the next 12 to 18 months."

[10 [Nor are the problems easy to solve. Pandemics have not necessarily helped, but they are not the only problem. There is not enough production capacity in the world to meet the amount of demand, and until new facilities are built, the problem will continue; according to the BBC, TSMC, the world's largest chipmaker, will spend $100 billion over the next three years to increase production capacity.

For the foreseeable future, there seems to be no way out of the real supply problem. Few companies or products will not feel this in some way. It may be the RTX 3080 that is driving up prices, or it may be that the toasters are not selling amazingly well, but the core problem remains the same and will not be solved anytime soon.