- Apple is facing production issues for its high-end iPhone 14 devices due to COVID restrictions in China.
- Estimates indicate that this holiday season will see 2 to 3 million fewer iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models in the market.
- This is bad news for South African customers who are often affected more by device shortages as the country features lower in Apple’s list of go-to markets.
Die-hard Apple tech fans in South Africa should prepare for a setback if they want certain devices in the iPhone 14 Pro series this holiday season.
A new report from Reuters indicates that the Cupertino, California consumer tech titan is lowering its year-end sales outlook for high-end iPhone 14 models as it is facing “significant production cuts” at a device manufacturing factory in China.
The factory in question is operating at a notably lower capacity due to China’s strict COVID-19 policies, set to ensure that there is zero spread of the virus, according to a statement issued by Apple. Fewer workers mean fewer iPhones.
“We continue to see strong demand for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models. However, we now expect lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than we previously anticipated,” Apple continued.
China is seeing a 6-month high in terms of COVID-19 infections recording around 4 420 locally transmitted cases over the weekend across the nation. While these numbers are low by international standards, China is adamant about its zero-COVID stance.
Earlier this year the Chinese government imposed an unprecedented lockdown of Shanghai in an effort to curb the further spread of the virus throughout the city’s 25 million people.
For 60 days residents in the city were unable to leave their homes even for the barest of essentials, including food, water and medicine. Videos emerged of citizens trapped in their apartment buildings screaming for help and fishing from nearby koi ponds for food using drones.
Due to these restrictions, Apple has had to cut its iPhone shipments forecast for December by around 2 to 3 million units, according to market researcher TrendForce. The company is advising customers to expect longer wait times to receive their new iPhone 14s.
All these roads lead to bad news for South Africa’s higher-tier iPhone 14 stocks. The iPhone 14 Pro devices were launched in the country in September and at the South African iStore you can currently find one for R26 899, however, this could very well change.
If the restrictions are not lifted on the production of these devices, then South Africans will have to manage with longer lead times for deliveries. Customers are already dealing with supply shortages for basic iPhone 14 models.
MTN South Africa, a licensed reseller of the iPhone 14, said in October that the country’s supply is affected by higher demand in other countries.
“Our supplier, Apple, has indicated that due to increased global demand, the supply to SA is constrained with recovery on the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus range during the month of November,” said spokesperson Jacqui O’Sullivan at the time.
According to an insider speaking to Media 24, Apple works in a “tiered system” when it comes to allocating products to the market and lo and behold South Africa is nowhere near the top of that system.
[Image – Apple]
