Hit By Covid-19 Lockdowns In China, Shipping Of Apple MacBook Pros Facing Delay

Apple has hit a roadblock in the production of MacBook Pros and the delivery dates have been postponed to June in the wake of the Covid-19-induced lockdowns imposed in China.

Production of a majority of the company's other Macs, including the MacBook Air aren't affected. Image: Getty

New Delhi: Apple has hit a roadblock in the production of MacBook Pros and the delivery dates have been postponed to June in the wake of the Covid-19-induced lockdowns imposed in China. Buyers of the latest high-end MacBook models in the US are seeing delivery dates delayed to June while the delivery date of the lower-end 14-inch MacBook Pro has been delayed to May 26, the media has reported.

The delay in shipments of MacBook models highlights the tech giant's struggles to keep up with the production and supply chain hurdles amid another wave of Covid-19 as China pursues a zero-tolerance policy for outbreaks, according to a report by news agency Bloomberg. More than 30 Taiwanese firms, including Apple's contract manufacturers for laptops such as Quanta Computer Inc., have paused production in China because of Covid-19-induced lockdowns.

Meanwhile, the production of a majority of the company's other Macs, including the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac mini, aren’t currently affected by the lockdowns in China. Apple’s highest-end MacBook Pro configuration -- a $3,499 version with additional graphics cores and memory -- is seeing delivery estimates as late as June 16 in the US, the report added.

Meanwhile, in line with India's vision of becoming a global handset manufacturing hub, Apple has recently started producing its flagship iPhone 13 in India and last year's iPhone 13 is being manufactured at the iPhone maker's contract manufacturing partner Foxconn's plant near Chennai. 

"We are excited to begin making iPhone 13 -- with its beautiful design, advanced camera systems for stunning photos and videos, and the incredible performance of the A15 Bionic chip -- right here in India for our local customers," Apple had told ABP Live in a statement.