Apple warns of looming iPhone 14 shortage and longer wait times
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If you’re one of the many looking for the iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max — our picks for the best phone money you can buy right now — you might have to wait a bit. That’s according to a new pronunciation (opens in new tab) from iPhone maker Apple, which reports significant impacts on iPhone production following a Covid outbreak at one of the company’s China-based manufacturing facilities.
“Covid-19 restrictions have temporarily impacted the primary assembly plant of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max in Zhengzhou, China,” Apple said in a statement. “The facility is currently operating at a significantly reduced capacity.”
That’s bad news and worse timing for consumers looking for the latest iPhone model in the run up to Christmas, with significant shipping delays over the coming months. Apple’s retail store suggests that the wait times for shipping the Pro models are already 4-5 weeks, which could increase further if there are prolonged Covid outages.
“We still see strong demand for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models,” Apple said. “However, we now expect lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than we previously anticipated and customers will experience longer wait times to receive their new products.”
Zhengzhou, the Chinese city with the primary manufacturing facility for Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, has been hit by a Covid-19 outbreak in recent weeks, with the city reporting 167 cases in the last full week of October. Foxconn, which operates the Apple factory, reportedly tried to enforce its facility late last month to slow the spread of the virus.
In the immediate aftermath, videos shared on Chinese social media showed factory workers trying to flee the facility amid reports of poor conditions and insufficient food and medical supplies during the imposed quarantine.
Apple isn’t the first tech company to have its supply chains hit by China’s notoriously strict Covid restrictions, which will see the Zhengzhou area where the Foxconn facility is housed shut down by the government until at least Nov. 9.
The delays come just weeks after the iPhone 14 launch in mid-September, with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max proving particularly popular with Apple fans and experts alike. It’s unclear when production at Apple’s Zhengzhou factory will resume normal functionality, but the interruptions will undoubtedly be a blow to both Apple and consumers at an inopportune time.