The availability of the iPhone 13 is expected to improve in the coming weeks as the holiday season approaches, possibly easing concerns from analysts and customers that product availability would have remained exceptionally tight as consumers begin holiday shopping.
Like many other products, the iPhone has been suffering the consequences of a global chip shortage that has impacted production and general product availability. Estimated shipping times for the iPhone 13 were spanning weeks, if not months, in some locations for specific configurations.
As the holiday season approaches, however, Apple's suppliers have managed to ease the shortage of certain components, allowing iPhone 13 production to accelerate, according to DigiTimes. Apple's supply chain partners are beginning to notice the gap between iPhone 13 demand and supply "gradually narrowing" thanks to the ramped-up production of integrated circuit boards embedded within the iPhone.
Apple this past quarter said the chip shortage and complications hindering production due to the global health crisis cost it $6 billion. Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, and the company's chief financial officer, Luca Maestri, warned investors that the impact of the chip shortage is expected to be greater than $6 billion for the upcoming holiday quarter.
All of Apple's product categories, from the AirPods to the Mac, have seen considerable upgrades over the past several months that are expected to appeal to customers looking for holiday shopping.
AirPods are a popular holiday gift, and Apple released its third-generation model last month. The new AirPods feature a smaller design from the previous generation while including new features such as Spatial Audio with head tracking, Adaptive EQ, and improved durability.
In preparation for the holiday season, Apple has extended its return policy until January 8, 2022, for all purchases between November 1 and December 25. The new policy applies to the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, AirPods, HomePod mini, and more.
