Apple’s iPad Pro tablets are seeing limited availability at stores in major cities in the US, Australia and Europe, according to a review of Apple’s websites on Monday.
The iPad Pro, with 12.9-inch display and 512GB storage, is sold out on all Apple stores in the Los Angeles area, this model and other versions are also said to be sold out in New York as well.
Apple is expected to debut a new version of the iPad Pro with upgraded cameras as early as the first half of this year. This could also be a reason why there are supply shortages, in which case the Coronavirus’ effects could complicate the issue even further – drastically limiting Apple’s new iPad launch in the process.
AirPods Pro earbuds and built-to-order Mac computers are also showing shipping delays as well as some Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 5 models, which are listed unavailable for online purchase. However, it is important to note that both the AirPods Pro buds and Watch Series 3 devices have been constrained even before the onset of the Coronavirus due to high demand.
Apple’s latest iPhones and non-Pro iPads are still available en mass throughout the US, though some locations in Europe and Australia are showing iPhone 11 unavailability.
Apple says it wouldn’t manage meetings its guidance for the March quarter as supply shortages would “temporarily affect revenues worldwide.”
The South African iStore shows that the iPad Air (3rd gen) 256GB models, as well as the 512GB 11-inch iPad Pro, and the 256GB 12.9-inch iPad Pro, among others, are out of stock online. Whether these shortages are due to the Covid-19 outbreak affecting manufacture is yet to be determined.
