The spreading effect of coronavirus on electronics manufacturing is now making itself felt at the consumer level.
According to an article on the site Patently Apple, a Bloomberg news report said “The iPad Pro tablet is seeing limited availability at stores in major cities in the U.S., Australia and Europe, according to a review of Apple’s website on Monday. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro with 512 gigabytes of storage and no cellular connectivity is sold out at all Apple stores in the Los Angeles area. That model and other versions are sold out at many stores in New York City as well.”
The Patently Apple article also noted that shipping delays are affecting AirPods earbuds and built-to-order Mac computers, while some Apple Watch Series 3 and 5 models are listed as unavailable to buy online. While iPhones and Apple’s non-Pro iPads are still readily available in the U.S., some European and Australian locations list the iPhone 11 as being unavailable, the report said.
Production of many Apple products is centered in China, and Apple’s contract manufacturer, Foxconn, delayed reopening its plants in early February when coronavirus concerns prevented workers from getting to the plants. Some workers were immediately quarantined when they returned to their jobs. The delayed reopening and reduced production schedule have resulted in fewer Apple goods in the pipeline and thus shortages in the retail channel.
The Patently Apple report added Apple is not the only company whose supply chain has taken a hit. Facebook’s online store showed the Oculus Quest virtual reality headset with 128 gigabytes of storage is “unavailable” to purchase, while the Oculus Rift S is also sold out online, the report said.
The report also noted that HP’s website showed some Envy, Pavilion and Slim desktop computers being out of stock, as are some of the company’s Sprocket mobile photo printers.