Shortages Could Threaten Record Setting Holiday Quarter for Apple

Apple is expected to break sales records during this holiday quarter but shortages threaten to undercut what could be the company's biggest quarter ever, reports Bloomberg.

One month after going on sale, the iPhone 13 Pro is hard to find in every color, configuration and size. That’s not usually the case, according to Apple store employees, some of whom say they’re increasingly dealing with frustrated customers. If you order the product on Apple’s U.S. website, it won’t arrive until between Nov. 18 and Nov. 26, approaching the Thanksgiving holiday. The same dates apply to Apple’s newest iPads. And the shortages extend to the company’s brick-and-mortar stores, with the majority of outlets seeing little to no supply of most models.

If you're looking for a new Apple Watch, you may need to wait a month for it to arrive, depending on the configuration. Apple's new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are also facing serious delays. The 14-inch MacBook Pro has a shipping delay of 3-4 weeks and the 16-inch model is delayed 4-5 weeks.


"Right now Apple has a supply constraint, with a high class problem of demand outstripping supply for the biggest product cycle Cupertino has experienced in roughly a decade with now two new launches (Mac Pro, AirPods 3) adding to these growth tailwinds", says WedBush analyst Daniel Ives.

Though Apple will likely weather supply shortages better than its competitors, customers should consider making holiday purchases a bit earlier this year.

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