The company confirms production problems in China

Nov 7, 2022 17:00 GMT  ·  By

Apple has officially acknowledged production struggles in China, and as a result, the company says the waiting times for new iPhones would increase significantly.

Furthermore, the company says the production of the new iPhone models would be impacted as well, especially as the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max assembly plant in China is hit by new COVID-19 restrictions.

The company says in a public statement that it’s already working with suppliers specifically on addressing the production struggles, but of course, there’s no ETA as to when all the challenges would be resolved given the new restrictions taking place in China.

“COVID-19 restrictions have temporarily impacted the primary iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max assembly facility located in Zhengzhou, China. The facility is currently operating at significantly reduced capacity. As we have done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prioritizing the health and safety of the workers in our supply chain,” Apple says.

Strong Pro sales

Since the debut of the iPhone 14 series, the iPhone 14 Pro and the Pro Max recorded the highest demand, with people familiar with the matter claiming that Apple even adjusted production of the standard iPhone 14 to build more Pros.

Furthermore, the iPhone 14 Plus is believed to be selling slower than anticipated. Apple, however, has never commented on iPhone 14 sales, only claiming that the demand for the Pro models is currently very strong.

“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 and customers will experience longer wait times to receive their new products. We are working closely with our supplier to return to normal production levels while ensuring the health and safety of every worker,” the company explained.