Will smartphones face hardware shortages like PCS? The technology industry has been hit by a semiconductor shortage in recent months as surging demand for a variety of products has led to shortages of the increasingly important semiconductors. The global semiconductor shortage is affecting everything from cars to personal computers to gaming devices. Will smartphones face hardware shortages like PCS? The technology industry has been hit by a semiconductor shortage in recent months as surging demand for a variety of products has led to shortages of the increasingly important semiconductors. The global semiconductor shortage is affecting everything from cars to personal computers to gaming devices.