But if there are shortages of flash memory or other components, Apple will probably weather them better than most companies, Yang and White acknowledged.

"Apple's purchasing power and its relationship with the [NAND] suppliers means it will get priority," said Yang. "There are three other major suppliers of NAND -- Samsung, Hynex and Micron -- and there's enough flex there that it shouldn't be a huge issue for Apple."

"They're better positioned than most because of their size, the contracts they have in place and the success of their products," echoed White.

While Apple may see what Yang called "only a blip" in its ability to acquire NAND flash memory, other companies may find themselves shut out of a tightening inventory. In tablets, for instance, Yang said that while tier 1 firms -- the likes of Apple, Hewlett Packard, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung -- would be at the top of the list, others wouldn't.

"Companies like ASUS and Acer would be some of those that would probably feel the squeeze," said Yang. "But the impact on tier 1 companies should be minimal."