Sony's explanation for missing its PlayStation 2 production goals, a parts shortage, was doubted by industry insiders who said that a company of Sony's status would be the last to suffer from components shortages. Now, Sony has admitted that the part that held up shipments was its own Graphic Synthesizer, delayed by the company's migration from 0.25-micron to 0.18-micron technology in the Nagasaki factory on the island of Kyushu. The company says the problems have been solved and that inventories will be up to projected levels by March of 2001.

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