The Raspberry Pi Foundation is finally overcoming supply chain shortages, which severely limited the availability of Pi computers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the CEO of Raspberry Pi says that 2023 is a “recovery year,” and it will not be defined by a mess of new products.
In an interview with ExplainingComputers, Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton explicitly tells customers, “don’t expect a Pi 5 next year.” The CEO finds value in “spending a year before we look at introducing anything,” so products like the Pi 5 are off the table.
This news is disappointing but unsurprising. As explained by Upton, nobody wants to be on a waiting list for a Raspberry Pi. A new Pi computer would take up space on the manufacturing floor—it would slow the recovery effort.
The Pi Foundation may also be concerned about pricing. Due to inflation and component shortages, several Pi computers will receive a price increase in 2023. If the Pi 5 were to launch at an unusually high price, it would undermine the Foundation’s interest in affordable and accessible computer education.
Anyway, this is good news. We’ll finally have the chance to buy a Raspberry Pi without paying a premium on eBay. That said, if you aren’t using a Raspberry Pi, now’s the time to sell it.
Source: ExplainingComputers via Ars Technica
