As we have beforehand reported, Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton introduced by way of a latest weblog publish that 100,000 items could be making their manner into the availability chain, and that the within the latter-half of 2023 we are able to count on inventory ranges to return to pre-pandemic normality. That mentioned, the availability chain scarcity has impacted the conventional cadence of Raspberry Pi releases, and based on Upton in an interview with Christopher Barnatt from Explaining Computer systems it means we sadly will not be seeing a Raspberry Pi 5 in 2023.
Within the interview, Explaining Computer systems host Barnatt asks Upton about the way forward for the Raspberry Pi and if there are new fashions on the horizon. Upton then talks about how the previous couple of years have been “bizarre” (pandemic and international chip scarcity) and it has disrupted the cadence of Raspberry Pi growth and launch. Upton states that “the platform [Raspberry Pi 4] has been round longer than any Raspberry Pi platform has been round earlier than, I believe.”.
At 29 minutes and 30 seconds Upton breaks the unhealthy information, “Do not count on a Pi 5 subsequent 12 months [2023]” Upton then expands and explains that 2023 is a “restoration 12 months”. The restoration 12 months is there to assist Raspberry Pi and the expertise business get better from the double-punch of a pandemic and a worldwide chip scarcity which has brought about a slowdown internationally.
Upton explains “What would actually be a catastrophe could be if we tried to introduce some sort of Raspberry Pi 5 product” Upton supplies a situation akin to that of the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, launched halfway by way of the pandemic. It has been comparatively unobtainium since launch.
Upton mentioned he’s very involved concerning the penalties “if we launched a Raspberry Pi 5 product and it could not ramp correctly due to constraints, or if we launched some Raspberry Pi 5 product and it one way or the other cannibalized some provide chain aspect.” Upton then explains how cannibalization may affect the restoration of Raspberry Pi 4 and the three / 3+ and that Raspberry Pi needs to be “ginger” as they transfer ahead with its restoration.
“The excellent news is the second half of subsequent 12 months, 2024 onwards, a few of these issues begin to abate. And that is the purpose the place we are able to begin to consider what could be a wise Raspberry Pi 5 platform,” Upton mentioned.
Upton talks about how within the years for the reason that Raspberry Pi 4 was launched, it has seen efficiency upgrades, largely right down to bumping the inventory 1.5 GHz CPU pace to 1.8 GHz which was first applied within the Raspberry Pi 400 and its spectacular keyboard heatsink. The Pi 4 has additionally seen many software program enhancements and power optimizations (the Pi 4 was notable for working slightly heat within the early days) in its protracted historical past.
The conventional cadence of Raspberry Pi releases is that we see a brand new “mannequin B” each three to 4 years. However the international chip scarcity has added a further delay, with the Raspberry Pi 5 now doubtless seeing a 2024 launch date. At 5 years this is able to mark the longest hole between Raspberry Pi releases within the nearly 11 12 months historical past of the product.
We have reached out to Upton for additional remark and can replace this story with any further info we collect.
| Mannequin B | Launch Date | Cadence |
| Raspberry Pi | February 2012 | Row 1 – Cell 2 |
| Raspberry Pi B+ | July 2014 | 2 Years 5 Months |
| Raspberry Pi 2 | February 2015 | 6 Months |
| Raspberry Pi 3 | February 2016 | 1 12 months |
| Raspberry Pi 4 | June 2019 | 3 Years 4 Months |