Apple has reduced its expected sales figures for the iPhone 13 in 2021 due to the ongoing global chip shortage hitting its flagship product production, slashing the expectations by about 10 million units. Having launched last month, the Cupertino company was expecting to build and ship around 90 million units of the new iPhone range before the end of the year.
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Apple is one of the biggest chip buyers in the world, predominantly due to the popularity of its iPhone range, and their purchases usually gives the industry a good idea of where the demand for parts is sitting. The technology giant has told its manufacturing partners that it will not be able to hit targets due to the production of components not being able to keep up with demand.
While the new iPhones are already available for sale through its partner mobile operators and distribution partners, it isn’t able to offer all its products on its own website at the moment. The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are still not available through its website, listed as “currently unavailable,” even through some of its partner stores.
The company is expected to generate around $120 billion in revenue from iPhone sales in the last quarter of 2021, its biggest quarter yet. It will be about 7% higher than in the same period last year, and more revenue than the company made in an entire year compared to a decade ago.
While many had hoped the chip shortage would be resolved by now, having hit in earnest at the beginning of 2020, although it is showing no signs of easing. The demand for the parts have increased more than the uplift in manufacturing capabilities in the same time period, meaning the crisis is actually getting worse. The gap between putting in a semiconductor order and taking delivery rose for the ninth month in a row to an average of 21.7 weeks in September, according to Susquehanna Financial Group.
