Apple informs suppliers of weakened iPhone 13 demand
Apple has reportedly informed suppliers that iPhone 13 demand has weakened, with Bloomberg noting that while it had initially been hoped that iPhone demand would increase next year when component shortages ease, Apple is now less optimistic and is advising suppliers that its projected orders for next year may not materialize.
Many of Apple’s products have been given lengthy lead-times due to the global supply crunch, with sources close to Bloomberg claiming that Apple believes that many customers still yet to get hold of the iPhone 13 in the run up to the holidays simply won’t order the device next year when components shortages ease and lead-times return to their pre-pandemic timescales.
In an interview in October, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple saw larger than expected supply constraints driven by the global chip shortage during Q4 2021, with COVID-related manufacturing disruptions in Southeast Asia adding to constraints in manufacturing that cost Apple around $6 billion, despite “strong sales performance. Cook also added that he expected the supply constraints to continue through December.
Chip shortages and manufacturing disruptions cost Apple $6 billion during Q4 2021 https://t.co/moig8TDIRL by @TomSykes pic.twitter.com/ByCvGiWnzn
— theapplepost.com (@theapplepost) October 28, 2021