Some customers waiting for new high-end MacBooks report their delivery dates have slipped as far as May or early June. Likewise, in-store pickup options currently show unavailable until June. The news came amidst the continuing COVID-19 lockdown in China affecting the supply chain.
Gurman High-End MacBook Pro Shipments Delayed
Bloomberg reported that U.S. customers who tried to order the high-end models of MacBook Pro got delivery estimates as late as early June. Similarly, shipment dates for lower-end MacBook Pro were pushed back as late as May 26. The report said that the delivery estimate changed drastically in recent days.
The delay in delivery estimates could be the effect of the escalating COVID-19 lockdowns in China. Some Apple laptop manufacturers have stopped production in China due to the quarantine. However, Apple has yet to issue an official statement about this matter.
Kuo: Delivery Time of High-End MacBook Pro Increases by 3-5 Weeks
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also tweeted that shipment of high-end MacBook Pros has increased by three to five weeks following the China lockdown. So, it could very well be true that the China quarantine affected Apple’s supply.
The supply chain may have also affected existing orders of MacBooks Pro. There are reports that customers who placed their orders even before the lockdown have yet to receive their laptops. MacRumors reported some of its readers who ordered the MacBook Pro in March claimed that Apple pushed the shipment dates of their orders toward the end of May or early June.
China COVID-19 Lockdown Does Not Affect Shipment of Other Apple Products
Meanwhile, Bloomberg also said that the China lockdown did not affect the supply chain of other Apple products. Apple can still ship the new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini within a day or a few days. Likewise, delivery estimates for the Mac Pro and Mac Studio have not been affected. Although Apple promises to deliver orders for these products by May or June, the lead time is understandable since it usually takes a longer time to ship the Mac Pro. Apple launched the Mac Studio only recently.