Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton has revealed some details that have proven crucial to the company’s success, and other glimpses at future Pi stores.
Talk to Tom’s Hardware (Opens in a new tab)Upton explained that the company enjoyed good health in December 2022, which means it is firmly on track for what he expected before the pandemic hit.
He later revealed the company’s bulk-buying habits which led to an oversupply, even during times of chip shortages.
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Upton explained that a decision was made to buy 500 wafers, each capable of producing between 21,000 and 22,000 RP2040 chip dies (each measuring about 2mm square), which retail for around $1/£1.
The move has resulted in a total of Rs 10 million 2040 chips being produced since 2021, resulting in ‘stock’ ready to convert into the popular Pico W variants (available from $4 / £3.60).
The company has also purchased other components in large numbers, such as Wi-Fi models, to the tune of “millions of units”.
Upton was later asked if the company would consider opening more Raspberry Pi stores. Currently, the Cambridge-based one-stop-shop that first opened its doors in February 2019 offers all sorts of hardware, accessories and literature by Raspberry Pi and third parties, with many other pop-ups appearing up and down the UK over time.
Going forward, the ‘next chapter’ will likely be decided by more experimentation with pop-up stores, but it has been suggested that the company may cater to the large Raspberry Pi community that has formed in India in recent years.