To address the high demand but short supply of the new iPhone 13 models, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company is “working feverishly” to boost the availability of its latest phones.
Supply chain issues related to the global chip shortage have affected almost every sector of the tech industry to varying degrees — Apple included, to the extent that reports previously claimed Apple has had to cut iPhone 13 production by 11%, from 90 million phones to 80 million. Considering Apple had been riding out the chip shortage fairly well, thanks to its strong buying power, and control over a diverse supply chain, it shows just how bad the shortages really are.
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iPhone 13 demand isn’t so high that supply can’t even hope to keep up, meaning people aren't experiencing the same extreme issues as those looking for success in the next PS5 restock.
But the iPhone 13 still sold out pretty much instantly on the day pre-orders opened. Initial demand was pretty strong and some people, including some Tom’s Guide staff members, struggled to get their order in thanks to the Apple website struggling with the influx of traffic.
Things appear to have eased up a little bit, but wait times do seem to depend on which iPhone 13 model you want to buy. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini models look to have the shortest wait times of a couple of weeks, with some variants even offering same day delivery if you pay a premium. Meanwhile the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max models have late-November delivery estimates.
That’s if you’re shopping from the Tom’s Guide office in New York, and other regions may differ. Those wait times are also likely to increase as demand picks up in the run up to the holidays.
Obviously, Apple wants to be able to sell new iPhones to everyone who wants one, so it would be folly to not do everything it can to try and solve its supply chain issues. Least of all because the situation will cost the company around $6 billion.
Cook didn't detail how Apple will tackle supply constraints, but was seemingly bullish about how Apple will weather the problem, telling CNBC that Apple has “had a very strong performance despite larger than expected supply constraints.”
However those constraints are likely to continue into Q1 2022. But as a trillion-dollar company, Apple has the clout to work on getting its supply chain up to speed to meet iPhone demand. But as it stands, you if you order a new iPhone 13 now, be prepared for a potential wait to get the new phone.
- More: iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Which should you choose?
