NEW YORK - Many shoppers looking for Apple's latest high-end phones returned empty-handed from its stores this Black Friday, as the technology company struggles with production snafus in China.
Among them were Sally Gannon and her son Michael, who were visiting an Apple store in Bethesda, where they found no iPhone Pros in stock.
Abisha Luitel wanted an iPhone 14 Pro for her 21-year-old cousin. She was out of the Apple store. She purchased an older version, the 12, instead.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote in a note that the iPhone shortages are accelerating and were front and center this morning on Black Friday across many retailers, Apple Stores and online channels.
He said that Apple's headquarters is not a good sign that many Apple Stores have iPhone 14 Pro shortages based on model or color or storage of up to 25 per cent to 30 per cent lower than normal, a sign that's not a good sign for the holiday season for Cupertino.
Shares of Apple fell 2 percent after a source at Foxconn told Reuters on Friday that the company's iPhone production could be further hit due to worker unrest at the plant.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. In a statement on Nov 7, it said it expects to see a lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than previously anticipated.
The plant, the world's largest Apple iPhone factory, has been hit with strict COVID 19 restrictions that have fueled discontent among workers and disrupted production ahead of Christmas and January's Chinese New Year holiday.
An employee said there were almost no 14 Pro and Pro Max in stock at an Apple store in a Bethesda, Maryland mall. One employee at a store in Raleigh, North Carolina said that the iPhone 14 s were in low stock, while the iPhone 14 Plus was completely out of stock.
Sally Gannon said that she and her son were leaning towards ordering the iPhone online. She said an Apple store employee told them that a phone ordered online would be delivered on December 28.
The US electronics chain Best Buy warned earlier this week of the shortage of high-end iPhones at its stores this holiday season.
Wedbush's Ives expects to sell approximately 8 million iPhones on Black Friday weekend, down from 10 million a year ago, due to supply challenges.
He said wait times on Apple's website are now up to 40 days for the new iPhone 14 Pro, which will only grow as more people try to find iPhone Pros to buy as gifts.