AirPods Pro availability is continuing to slip, with Apple showing the wireless earbuds aren’t shipping until mid-March in some countries amid the deadly coronavirus wreaking havoc on its supply chain.
The Apple Post reported in January that Apple was struggling to keep up with demand for its premium noise cancelling AirPods, with the coronavirus and its knock on effect to production now making availability even worse than it already was. According to industry insiders, Apple had planned too ‘aggressively’ boost AirPods production throughout 2020, although those plans are now in jeopardy as suppliers have been forced to halt production by Chinese health officials.
Stock checks of the online Apple Store reveal AirPods Pro aren’t being advertised to ship no earlier than four weeks from now…
- Italy: March 17th
- France: March 17th
- United Kingdom: March 17th
- United States: 4 Weeks
- Australia: 4 Weeks
- Brazil: 4 Weeks
It isn’t just AirPods Pro availability which is seemingly being hit by the coronavirus. Apple has quietly updated its shipping estimates for Mac Pro models across Europe, advising prospective customers that standard uncustomized machines in some countries won’t ship until March 10, with analysts forecast the outbreak will lower overall iPhone shipments in Q1 2020 by 10 percent.
Apple released the AirPods Pro in October, featuring “Active Noise Cancellation and superior, immersive sound in an all-new lightweight, in-ear design.” The earbuds have been widely praised for their noice cancellation features compared to other in-ear competitors.