iMac Shipping Delay: Over the past couple of weeks, we have discussed shipping time issues surrounding many Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) products including the 27 inch iMac. While this issue was effecting those in the United States, it seems like production problems with the tech giant have gone overseas.
According to the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) UK website, shipping times for the 21.5 inch iMac have slipped to two to three weeks. While this may not sound like a big deal, it signifies once again that the company is having difficulties with production.
The following is a brief excerpt from AppleInsider, explaining the longer shipping time:
“New orders of Apple’s 21.5-inch desktop iMac are now advertised to ship in 2 to 3 weeks to U.K. customers, suggesting production problems remain for the all-in-one desktop.”
“Previously, new orders were scheduled to ship in 7 to 10 business days before the estimates slipped on Monday. However, Apple’s U.S. store continues to advertise shipping times of 7 to 10 days.”
“The larger 27-inch iMac is still advertised to ship in 3 to 4 weeks in both Apple’s U.S. and U.K. stores.”
As you can see, it is not just the 21.5 inch iMac that is running behind at the present time. The 27 inch model is having the same difficulties, as noted above.
“The new all-in-one desktop is said to have been met with production issues when it launched late last year. Those apparent problems have continued into 2013, as availability remains limited.”
For those who pay close attention to production and shipping times, this should not be that big of a surprise. As reported in the same AppleInsider article, analyst Ming-chi Kuo of KGI Securities warned of this a few months ago:
“Analyst Ming-chi Kuo of KGI Securities revealed in August, months before the new iMacs were unveiled, that production issues were likely. It was said that the screen lamination process in building the new desktops is difficult, particularly with the larger 27-inch model.”
Along with this, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook said much of the same in October. At that time, he made it clear that there would be a shortage of iMacs come the December quarter. While he was spot on about the delays, there was no indication at the time that the issue would continue into the new year.
According to AppleInsider, Cook may be able to provide some more information this week:
“Cook will likely shed more light on the iMac supply situation this Wednesday during his company’s quarterly earnings conference call. Analysts expect Apple shipped 5 million Macs in the quarter, a year over year decrease mostly attributed to limited supply of the new iMacs.”
Is this becoming a big problem for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.
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