It’s been a rough year for gadget makers. The global chip shortage has impacted everything from the PlayStation 5 to graphics cards. For a while, it seemed like Apple had avoided the worst of the supply chain woes, but it looks like that luck has finally run out.
According to Bloomberg, most of Apple’s newest products won’t ship until mid-November or even December. That includes the iPhone 13 lineup, the iPad Mini, the 9th-gen iPad, the Apple Watch Series 7, and MacBook Pro. Even more concerning, the delays are also affecting older products like the MacBook Air and the newest iMac.
Delays aren’t necessarily a new thing when it comes to Apple products. The problem right now is the scale. The iPhone 13 Pro, for instance, has only been out for about a month and nearly every version of the device is difficult to find. If you look on Apple’s site, the earliest delivery window is Nov. 19-29, and at least in New York City, no version of the phone is available at any of the 12 Apple Stores in the five boroughs. Earlier this month, the company also slashed its 2021 iPhone 13 production targets by about 10 million units. The iPad Mini has the same delivery window, and only a handful of versions were available for pickup at one or two Apple Stores in all of NYC. The shipping window for the Apple Watch Series 7 is Nov. 30-Dec. 7, and none of NYC’s Apple Stores seem to have them in stock. The MacBook Pros announced earlier this week are also already backlogged to Nov. 12-19. The 24-inch M1 iMac is also delayed to Nov. 12-19 if you pay $8, or Nov. 15-22 if you opt for free shipping. Only one or two configurations were available for pickup.
Somehow, Apple’s new $19 polishing cloth is also delayed by 10-12 weeks. Because this is the world we now live in.