Apple's shortage of iPhone 13 and other products 'bleakest in years', says report

A new report says that Apple's record-setting holiday quarter is under threat from shortages across nearly every product, most notably iPhone 13.

From Bloomberg:

Shoppers looking for Apple Inc. devices this holiday season are facing a chilly reality: Most everything they might want to buy will take weeks to arrive. Orders for the company's newest products -- the iPhone 13, iPad mini, ninth-generation iPad, Apple Watch Series 7 and MacBook Pro -- won't be fulfilled until November or December. Even some older devices, including the iMac announced in April, the Mac Pro and some pricier configurations of the MacBook Air, are seeing delays.

Mark Gurman says that the iPhone 13 is the "highest-profile" case of shortage, noting that the iPhone 13 Pro is hard to find "in every color", size, and configuration. He cites Apple store employees who say "they're increasingly dealing with frustrated customers," elsewhere stating store employees say the supply situation "is the bleakest in years."

Getting your hands on new Apple products like the new MacBook Pro (2021) and AirPods 3 is expected to be difficult, but it is of particular note that Apple is also struggling to supply older products too.

Gurman cites analysts who suggest that Apple's recent slew of products launches could be a sign of confidence that supply will improve, with one firm noting Apple's announcement "suggest that it is significantly better at navigating these disruptions," compared with other manufacturers."

This week Apple announced its new MacBook Pro with all-new Apple silicon and a 120Hz mini-LED display. Last month it unveiled the new iPhone, as well as a new iPad mini 6 and iPad.