Many shoppers looking for Apple Inc’s latest high-end phones returned empty-handed from its stores this Black Friday as the technology company struggles with production difficulties in China.
Among them were Sally Gannon and her son Michael, who were visiting an Apple store in Bethesda, Maryland, where they found no iPhone Pros in stock.
Similarly, Abisha Luitel wanted to get an iPhone 14 Pro for her 21-year old cousin, but the Apple store she visited was sold out. She purchased an older version, the 12, instead.
Photo: AFP
The “iPhone shortages are accelerating and were front and center this morning on Black Friday across many retailers, Apple Stores, and online channels,” Wedbush Securities Inc analyst Dan Ives wrote in a note.
“Many Apple Stores now have iPhone 14 Pro shortages ... of up to 25 percent to 30 percent below normal heading into a typical December, which is not a good sign heading into holiday season for Cupertino,” he said, referring to Apple’s headquarters.
Apple shares ended down 2.0 percent after a source at its supplier Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團) said on Friday that iPhone production could be further hit due to worker unrest at the plant.
In a statement on Nov. 7, Apple said it expects lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than previously anticipated.
Foxconn’s plant in China makes Apple’s premium models including the latest iPhone 14 Pro, a source said.
The plant is the world’s largest Apple iPhone factory, and has been grappling with strict COVID-19 restrictions that have fueled discontent among workers, and disrupted production ahead of Christmas and January’s Lunar New Year holiday.
At an Apple store in a Bethesda mall, an employee said there were almost no 14 Pro and Pro Max in stock. Another employee at a store in Raleigh, North Carolina, said that iPhone 14s were in low stock, while the iPhone 14 Plus was completely out of stock.
Sally Gannon said that she and her son were considering ordering an iPhone online, as an Apple store clerk told them that an online purchase would arrive by Dec. 28.
US electronics chain Best Buy Co warned earlier this week of shortages of high-end iPhones at its stores this holiday season.
Ives expected that about 8 million iPhones would be sold on the Black Friday weekend, down from 10 million a year ago, mainly due to supply challenges.
Wait times on Apple’s Web site are now up to 40 days for the new iPhone 14 Pro, which are expected to grow over the coming weeks as more consumers try to find iPhone Pros to purchase as gifts.
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