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The hotly anticipated iPhone 13 is expected to launch this October and come packed with upgrades including a faster processor and speedy display. That’s great news for fans of these devices but there’s already signs Apple could struggle to keep up with demand. Its main Chinese manufacturer, Foxconn, is hiring hundreds of thousands of extra workers over the next month to make enough of the smartphones. However, local media has reported it’s been struggling to get enough manpower through the factory doors in time.
Adding to the problem, the global shortage of chips – the processors which power smartphones, computers and even cars – means its costs are soaring as brands scramble to get their hands on enough stock. Apple’s leading chip supplier, TSMC, is thought to be raising its prices by up to 20% from January 2022.
Apple has already warned this could affect supplies this winter. Its finance chief Luca Maestri said: “We expect supply constraints during the September quarter to be greater than what we experienced during the June quarter. The constraints will primarily impact iPhone and iPad.”
Apple unveil their brand new purple iPhone 12
What does this mean for Apple fans in the UK? Unfortunately, it’s looking likely that the tech giant will be raising prices on its premium phones yet again.
DigiTimes reported Apple is considering whacking up the price of the iPhone 13 to compensate for all those extra workers and pricier components.
With models the iPhone 12 series already eye-wateringly expensive (the priciest, the iPhone 12 Pro Max, will set you back £1,099) that’s deeply unwelcome news for those who were hoping to snap up an upgrade this year. Prices could rise by 3-5%, which could mean the top models would go up by over £50.
And that might not be all. With Apple rumoured to be packing the iPhone 13 with some massive upgrades, including top-spec camera features, a 120Hz display, larger batteries, 5G capability and even faster charging, the company may feel justified in increasing prices even further.
The company has already ordered over 100 million chips to power its next product launches, which include a new iPad mini, in anticipation of enormous demand.
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