The COVID-19 pandemic continues to derail lives around the globe, even as companies increasingly push for a return to something resembling normal . The fallout hasn't just had a human toll, but has also impacted the availability of plenty of products, including smartphones . China is currently suffering from its worst outbreak since early 2020, and because of the country's zero-tolerance COVID policy, it's forcing a lot of cities into strict lockdowns, including techonlogy-hub Shenzhen — and that could serve to seriously aggravate the already-very-delicate chip shortage situation.