Apple has reportedly asked supplier Foxconn to retool some of its iPhone 14 production lines to support the iPhone 14 Pro model, which appears to support reports that the standard version is less popular with consumers than the new Pro. According to a report citing “incomplete statistics,” Zhengzhou has reorganized at least five workshops at Apple’s request, with “workers at this factory referring to code “27,” referring to the iPhone 14 produced by Foxconn in Zhengzhou.
It’s unclear if the iPhone 14 Plus line will also be affected. The model can be ordered now, but won’t reach customers until Friday, October 7.
The production line change coincides with a Sept. 19 report in which analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Hon Hai (Foxconn) is shifting its iPhone 14 production line to the iPhone 14 Pro model. This means shipments of these devices will increase by about 10 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022, Kuo said.
Data from multiple sources show solid demand for the iPhone 14 Pro models, with the Pro Max being the most popular. In the U.S., the iPhone 14 Pro Max has the longest delivery time of any model released within a similar time frame after its debut in the past six years, at 36.5 days, according to investment bank Morgan Stanley. Data from investment bank JPMorgan shows strong demand for the iPhone 14 Pro, saying it has an average delivery time of 35 days and 41 days for the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The reason for the long lead times could be the newer features that come with the iPhone 14 Pro models, with purchasers of these upgrading to the new A16 Bionic chip, 48-megapixel camera, always-on display and much more.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus retain the A15 Bionic chip that was introduced with the iPhone 13 series. Other features include collision detection, camera improvements and emergency distress via satellite, but it seems that these alone are not enough to sway customers to a purchase decision.
