If you’re just now placing an order for a phone in the iPhone 13 range then you might have to wait a while for it to be delivered, as Apple’s online store is providing delivery estimates of up to five weeks from now. This has been the case for a while, but there's no sign of the delays easing, and we now have an idea of what's causing them.
In the US, Apple claims a 3-4 week wait for iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max models, with a more bearable 7-10 days for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini.
In the UK, delivery estimates for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini seem to range between October 13 and November 1, depending on the configuration you choose, with the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max providing a window of November 1 to November 8.
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In Australia meanwhile it’s 7-10 business days for the iPhone 13 mini, 2-3 weeks for the iPhone 13, and 4-5 weeks for the iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max.
So why the long waits? Beyond the obviously high demand for the phones, Nikkei Asia reports that a Covid-19 surge in Vietnam is causing issues, as the camera modules are assembled there.
It’s not clear when this issue will be resolved, so there could be delays for a while. In other words then, if you want an iPhone 13 model anytime soon you should probably get your order in as soon as possible – but if you want one of the Pro handsets then you’ll probably have quite a long wait on your hands regardless.
Analysis: the Pros seem popular while the mini might struggle
Based on the delivery estimates above, it seems that demand for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max is probably higher than for the standard iPhone 13 or iPhone 13 mini.
We can’t say that for sure, since it’s possible Apple simply had fewer Pro units ready to go, or that the supply chain issues are for whatever reason affecting the Pro models more, but the longer wait for them certainly suggests they’re in high demand.
Conversely, the iPhone 13 mini doesn’t look like such a big seller, since the wait for that is in some cases even less than for the standard iPhone 13.
This isn’t a huge surprise – the iPhone 13 mini reportedly didn’t sell super well, and Apple is rumored to not be making an iPhone 14 mini as a result. But given that, it’s likely the company didn’t build as many units of the iPhone 13 mini in the first place, and yet it’s still easier to get hold of than the other models.
Meanwhile, the high prices of the Pro models seemingly aren’t putting buyers off, with Apple’s top-tier handsets proving hardest to get hold of.
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Via CNET
