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Tag: orders

  • A combination of bots and scalpers may be making it much harder to buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max

    A combination of bots and scalpers may be making it much harder to buy the iPhone 15 Pro Max

    If you haven’t been able to snag Apple’s most in-demand new handset, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, you may have the combination of bots and scalpers to blame for this.

    The iPhone 15 Pro Max, which has proven to be a hit, has reached a point where demand has outsold the available supply, leading to lead times that have hit historic levels around the world. Per security and anti-bot company Kasada, scalpers are automating their purchasing of the iPhone 15 Pro Max in order to capitalize on the demand.

    Kasada’s report is a sales tool to get firms to buy its anti-bot services, and it tends toward hyperbole. For instance, it claims that “most of the population wanting to pre-order is at a severe disadvantage in ordering a new iPhone without the use of a bot.”

    The report capitalizes all-in-one (AIO) bots as capitalizing on demand. Describing it as “an AIO bot notorious for sniping electronics,” a screenshot shows a recommendation for buying the iPhone 15.

    “The expected profit made by scaling one of the Pro models is estimated at $300 each,” says Kasada. “Given Apple’s flexible return policy, there’s little risk of being stuck with the device so scalpers see this opportunity for profit as a risk-free return.”

    Another example provided by Kasada shows that a bot made over 3,000 checkouts, or orders, of the iPhone 15 range of devices.

    This one claims 3,000 successful checkouts,” says Kasada, “setting expectations of shipment within the first week of its launch date. These scalpers can expect to make nearly $1,000,000 from this sale.”

    Kasada has also claimed to have witnessed individuals writing their own bots specifically to order the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

    “In addition to abusing Apple’s website for pre-ordering, Kasada is also observing bots being used to abuse the wireless providers that sell their locked versions of the iPhone 15,” continued the company.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and kasada.com

  • Foxconn’s Zhengzhou iPhone factory nearing expected iPhone 14 Pro output levels

    Foxconn’s Zhengzhou iPhone factory nearing expected iPhone 14 Pro output levels

    Apple may be getting closer to working through its iPhone 14 Pro order backlog.

    Production at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou facility has reached 90 percent of its peak capacity, a level that should help Apple meet demand for the iPhone 14 Pro handset.

    Long delays of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have long been attributed to COVID-related issues at the Zhengzhou, China factory, the main producer of Pro iPhone models. After months of problems, it seems that the factory is getting close to its usual output levels.

    Staffing at the plant has reached around 200,000 workers, which is the typical level for the busy holiday production period. The figure was issued by Foxconn executive Vic Wang, who told the Henan Daily, which was later reported to Bloomberg. The representative added that the plant is also shipping at approximately 90 percent of the peak capacity that was forecast at the start of 2022.

    The increased production will help meet orders for iPhone 14 Pro customers who’ve faced weeks of delays between ordering their devices and actually receiving them.

    It is thought by analysts that the effects of low production at the factory have impacted shipments considerably, with Q4 shipment totals thought to be down by around 20 million units.

    The staffing levels will also be beneficial given the impending Lunar New Year shopping period, which again involves high sales of Apple products to consumers.

    Foxconn employed multiple methods of trying to retain its workers during the now-lifted COVID lockdowns as well as the worker riots late last year. The company also offered bonuses to ex-workers to rejoin the company.

    Still, there have been reports that some workers who displayed symptoms of being unwell who were encouraged to stay on production lines and to avoid being tested, all in a bid to keep production high.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and Bloomberg

  • Simply Mac chain to shut down, enter Chapter 7

    Simply Mac chain to shut down, enter Chapter 7

    After 16 years of business, Apple authorized retail and service provider Simply Mac has announced that it is shutting down as a result of pandemic-related financial difficulties.

    In a letter to staff members, Simply Mac CEO Rein Voigt said that it is shutting down its operations and terminating all employees effective immediately.

    Per the letter:

    Since our acquisition of Simply Mac from GameStop on September 25, 2019, we have worked hard as a team to grow our company to be North America’s pre-eminent Apple Partner and provide our customers with transformational experiences that drive long-term loyalty. However, we could not have possibly foreseen that on December 12, 2019 in Wuhan, China a worldwide pandemic would start and ultimately cause us to layoff half our workforce and close many of our stores.

    Citing funding issues, Voigt stated that the organization is unable to adequately stock its shelves with inventory or “stay current with our financial obligations.” The company has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and will be completely liquidated.

    The Simply Mac chain consisted of 53 brick-and-mortar retail outlets locations in the U.S. Many of the locations had been underserved by Apple, and the closures will leave a vacuum for local sales and support.

    Voigt has stated that the company will be unable to pay employees, who were expecting pay as of July 10 to bring them up to date with the previous pay period, which ended a week ago. Voigt states that all staff members will receive a notice from the bankruptcy court and will be able to submit a claim.

    It’s unclear as to when the bankruptcy court might rule, or when and how the liquidation will begin. It’s also unknown as to what the retrieval process will be for machines under services or that have been ordered and not yet delivered to waiting customers.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider

  • Delivery times begin to stabilize for 2020 iPhone SE

    If you’re hankering for a 2020 iPhone SE, it appears that the supply has finally caught up with demand.

    Per data from in a note from J.P. Morgan:

    Delivery times in that country appear to have stabilized at an 8-day estimate after an order is placed. JP Morgan also says that customers in China are still able to pick up their iPhone SE orders in-store on the same day they’re ordered. All Apple Stores in China are currently open, though the company is taking steps to reopen more locations elsewhere. Estimates in Germany and the U.K. have risen to 10 days, up a single day from the 9-day estimate the week before. Like China, the Western European regions account for roughly 15% of total iPhone shipments. Overall, JP Morgan’s data suggests an aggregate shipment time of 11 days across all the regions it tracks. That has dropped sharply since early 17-day delivery estimates in the second week of iPhone SE availability.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via The Mac Observer and AppleInsider

  • Rumor: FoxConn to take on additional MacBook Pro orders in 2018, no plans for a major update this year

    It looks like Apple could be using assembly partner FoxConn for an increased production of its MacBook Pro notebooks.

    A current rumor from the upstream supply chain states that while Apple may not be planning a major update to its MacBook Pro notebook line this year, Apple will be shifting a major portion of its MacBook orders to Foxconn in 2018, instead of providing the majority of its orders to Quanta Computer. Foxconn is apparently expected to start fulfilling the new orders with mass MacBook Pro shipments in the second quarter.

    While it’s believed Foxconn will see more MacBook orders this year, it’s also believed that Quanta will continue to be Apple’s biggest supplier throughout 2018. DigiTimes’ research indicates that Quanta has shipped four times as many MacBooks as Foxconn over the last five years, with Quanta taking 79.5 percent of orders in 2017 compared to Foxconn’s 20.5 percent.

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