Apple's iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro models were already hard to get hold of before unrest at the world's biggest iPhone-making factory. Now, it's thought that disruption has cost Apple as many as six million iPhones.
With the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, China at the epicenter of protests regarding poor working conditions and COVID-19 lockdowns, it's thought that the impact on production could see six million fewer iPhones built this year. The news comes as Apple continues to struggle to build enough iPhones to meet demand.
Foxconn turmoil
Riots at the Foxconn factory began last week amid reports of delayed payments, while strict COVID-19 lockdown rules have since seen tension stretch to other parts of the country. China's zero-COVID approach means snap lockdowns, and Foxconn workers are far from the only ones complaining.
As for the Zhengzhou plant, dubbed iPhone City because of its size and capacity, Bloomberg reports that "the situation remains fluid" but that the worker situation "is likely to result in a production shortfall of close to 6 million iPhone Pro units this year."
Apple's Zhengzhou plant is the only one capable of assembling the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models, Apple's two best iPhones. The company has already warned that its Pro models will be harder to come by this Christmas as a result of Foxconn's COVID-19 predicament.
Apple is also acutely aware that its over-reliance on Chinese manufacturing continues to be problematic. Plans to move some manufacturing of Apple hardware to other countries continue, including India.
While getting hold of a Pro iPhone 14 right now is difficult, it isn't impossible. While online orders are unlikely to arrive before Christmas, it's still worth checking local Apple Store stocks regularly. We even have one iPhone 14 Pro upgrade program hack that might get you one sooner, too.
