Apple lowers iPhone 14 target

Apple has warned that iPhone 14 production will be temporarily curtailed due to Covid restrictions in China. The company previously forecast that it would produce 90 million iPhone 14s this year, but has now cut that estimate to 87 million units. Apple said on Sunday that it was temporarily curtailing iPhone 14 production at its primary iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max assembly plant in Zhengzhou, China, due to Covid-19 restrictions. The factory, operated by Foxconn, is operating at “significantly reduced capacity,” and Apple warned that it would ship fewer units and customers would face longer wait times when ordering devices. Apple’s warning raises the possibility that it will sell fewer iPhones in the December quarter as it struggles to meet demand. It had previously signaled slowing growth in the December quarter last month. Last week, China imposed a lockdown in Zhengzhou, where Apple manufactures most of its iPhones. According to Reuters, the factory in China has been grappling with workers fleeing the facility due to Covid policies and outbreaks.