Pace yourselves on the new iPhone excitement, because it looks like this year, Tim Cook’s gonna make us wait yet again.
The iPhone X isn’t even available for pre-order until the end of October, analysts are already predicting shortages, and shouldn’t they have this figured out by now?
So what is it Tim?? A marketing ploy? A miscalculation?
As expected, there’s a lot more going on behind the scene than we realize.
Apple’s supply chain involves tons of slim-margined suppliers who can’t afford unsold inventory — that means Tim’s playing Price Is Right trying to estimate how many people are gonna treat themselves to an update, without overshooting it.
Enter the pre-order, a crucial period for companies to gauge consumer demand — particularly when releasing a product at a new price point, like the iPhone X at $1k.
Even if they nail it, they’re still at the mercy of niche manufacturers
The iPhone’s NAND memory chip is currently facing a global shortage, with Apple’s manufacturers falling behind on production by almost 30%.
This, combined with a “super cycle” of upgraders who’ve been holding out for major design updates could make for a perfect storm of shortages…
So when can we expect to hold the 8 for the first time? In the words of Cook last year on whether Apple would be able to meet demand for the iPhone 7, “hard to say.”
The post Why is there always a wait for the new iPhone? appeared first on The Hustle.
(via The Hustle)