iPhone 11 supply starting to run low due to coronavirus, retailers and carriers say

According to a new report from the New York Post, retailers specifically in New York are starting to run low on iPhone 11 availability. Stores and carriers contacted by The Post report that their supply of the three different iPhone 11 models is starting to dwindle.

According to the report, one of the biggest problems is that retailers have no idea when they will get new shipments. As the coronavirus outbreak continues to affect Apple’s supply chain, as well as transport from China to the United States, iPhone 11 shipments are said to have been “infrequent.”

The popular iPhone 11 Pro has been out of stock for “at least a couple of weeks,” a worker at an Upper East Side AT&T store explained, adding that there’s no telling when the store’s next shipment will be. “We got a shipment and it didn’t have any iPhones in it – just flip phones and Samsungs,” said a Verizon store employee on the Upper West Side.

But retailers are also reportedly skeptical of carriers, the report explains. Retailers believe that carriers are “stockpiling” iPhone units in warehouses, which is a tactic to “control the supply chain in case of a shortage.” Carriers seem to be sacrificing in-store availability in favor of online shipping, the report says.

Employees at numerous retail locations around Manhattan contacted by The Post uniformly told the same story of low stock and infrequent shipments, with little guidance as to when things might get back to normal. “We don’t have an ETA on any of the shipments,” a Verizon employee of an Upper East Side store said. “It’s a Verizon-wide issue.”

While iPhone production is picking up again in China, Apple continues to feel the effects of prolonged shutdown last month. Furthermore, Apple suppliers continue to be affected by the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. For instance, Apple’s iPhone camera module supplier was forced to shut down last week due to an employee contracting the virus.

iPad Pro supply is also running low, a report detailed earlier this week. This could be because there are new models on the way, but it could also be a result of reduced production in China. Apple has also informed technical staff at its retail stores that replacement iPhones will be in short supply for the next month, while individual parts for repairs are also constrained.

But it’s important to note that this report from the New York Post doesn’t necessarily paint a picture of worldwide iPhone supply. That said, shipping times through Apple’s online store are slipping slightly, as is retail availability. Apple predicted this problem last month, but it’s unclear how long it will last.