Microsoft's Surface tablets have just hit a bump that could affect holiday sales

Microsoft's Surface tablets have just hit a roadblock ahead of the holiday quarter, according to a report from DigiTimes.

There is a shortage of Intel's new Skylake processor, which powers both the Surface Pro and Book, meaning that shipments of the tablet could be delayed. This, combined with the high volume of holiday sales, means that Microsoft could be in trouble.

DigiTimes reports that some shipments of the Surface have already been pushed back to to the first quarter of 2016 as demand outweighs the supply.

Microsoft makes the Surface Book, a laptop that is also a tablet, and the Surface Pro, a tablet that is also a laptop. The Book starts at $1,499 (£999) while the Pro starts at $899 (£749).

The Surface is generating more revenue for Microsoft than Apple generated from sales of the iPad. Analysts predict that Surface Book sales will sit at around 50,000 and 100,000 units in the fourth quarter while the Pro will be double that.