Apple recently updated its iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro devices, which could trigger loads of people to upgrade. It seems, however, that Apple is finally facing the component shortage, with many orders being delayed into November and December, Bloomberg reports.
Apple has managed to navigate throughout large scale shortages of computer components quite well until now, and it was possible to obtain a new M1-based Mac or an A14-based iPhone or iPad fairly quickly until now. Bloomberg also reported that Apple reduced its iPhone 13 production targets for 2021 by 10 million units as Broadcom and Texas Instruments were struggling to deliver enough parts.
But long deliver times are not limited to Apple’s smartphones and tablets. Apple’s latest M1 Pro or M1 Max-based MacBook Pro notebooks are slipping to four to five weeks delivery times, while beefer iMac 24-inch configurations also take more than a month. Even the latest 7th generation Apple Watch will only be delivered by mid-December if ordered today. By contrast, M1-based MacBook Air ships within days.
The latest MacBook Pro is Apple’s biggest update to the lineup since 2016. It adds an HDMI output, an SD card reader, and a MagSafe charging port, as well as a mini LED display with ProMotion. Demand for the latest MacBook Pro laptops could indeed set records. The main question is whether Apple can meet demand. Meanwhile, Apple’s 7th generation Watch is also facing long lead times, and its biggest change is a larger screen.
“In a year when Apple should be enjoying one of its biggest product-upgrade cycles ever, navigating the supply crunch is the “elephant in the room,” said Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, in a conversation with Bloomberg.
But while there are supply constraints in the U.S., Apple is set to add more shops inside Target stores before holidays, reports SeekingAlpha, which suggests that Apple expects to have products to fill the shelves.
Apple has not provided its official sales guidance for several quarters now, so we have no idea what the company expects. Meanwhile, Wall Street analysts expected Apple to generate about $120 billion in calendar Q4 2021, up 7% from the same period a year before.
One other notable product is backlogged. Those who manage to get a shiny new iPhone or MacBook Pro may have to wait for a $19 Apple polishing cloth that is reportedly sold out until December.