Since the demand for the iPhone 14 Pro has decreased after the holiday rush, availability has increased significantly, and the largest assembly plant in the world is reportedly operating at about 70% of its maximum capacity.
Some Apple stores now have a few models available for immediate pickup, but most other orders will take between two and three weeks to arrive, according to the company’s US online store.
Apple was already unable to guarantee delivery in time for Christmas as early as mid-November. A 20M unit loss in production is what some estimates place it at. Regardless of the precise figure, the situation was dire enough for Apple to issue a rare stock warning.
The WSJ cites JP Morgan in stating that the availability of the iPhone 14 Pro has returned to nearly normal levels now that the surge in demand for Christmas presents has subsided and production in China is continuing its gradual recovery.
According to the same report, production in iPhone City is currently running at roughly 70% of capacity, a significant improvement over last month.
TrendForce, a provider of market intelligence, says it’s still too early to celebrate. Apple had previously predicted it would ship 56 million iPhones in the first quarter of 2023, but it has since revised that estimate downward to 47 million, a decrease of more than 20% from the same quarter this year.
According to reports, Foxconn is attempting to persuade employees to remain on until March by providing bonuses totaling $700, which is roughly equivalent to one month’s salary.
