iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max supplies have been restored to normal levels following months of production disruptions, reports MacRumors.
Apple’s online store in the U.S. shows all configurations of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max as in stock and ready to be shipped to customers within 24 hours. Just recently there was a three to four-week wait time.
The operation of Foxconn’s major manufacturing base in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou has been affected by a local COVID-19 outbreak since this October. Since it’s Apple’s main manufacturing partner, the estimated shipments of iPhones 14 devices this year have been lowered to 78.1 million units, according to a December 28, 2022 TrendForce report.
As a result of COVID, the capacity utilization rate of Foxconn’s base has yet to risen above the level of 70%, adds the research group. The outbreak in Zhengzhou was at its worst just as Apple was trying to ramp up sales of the new iPhone models for this year (i.e., the iPhone 14 series) to a peak.
What’s more, the new Pro models have been in high demand, so Apple has kept raising their share in the overall iPhone production. As a result, Foxconn as the sole assembler of the new Pro models has been under significant strain, according to TrendForce. Besides the Zhengzhou base, Foxconn is also drawing support from its other major base located in the Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today
