iPhone 14 Pro production delayed by COVID outbreak at manufacturer

A widespread COVID-19 outbreak at Apple supplier Foxconn in China has delayed shipments of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14. Already, demand for the Pro model can barely be met in a timely manner, but the situation is likely to become even more difficult.

COVID outbreak at Foxconn: iPhone 14 Pro production affected

The iPhone 14 Pro (our review) is a real big seller for Apple. Sales figures show that demand for the Pro model significantly exceeds that of the normal iPhone 14 and other variants.

You already have to wait three to four weeks for an order in this country, but the situation is likely to worsen now. Because in the factory in Zhengzhou at Apple supplier Foxconn, there was again a widespread COVID-19 outbreak.

As the Reuters news agency reports, iPhone 14 Pro production at the plant is dropping by up to 30 percent to contain the spread of the virus. About 200,000 workers are employed at the manufacturer’s largest plant, Foxconn is Apple’s most important supplier and produces about 70 percent of all iPhone models shipped worldwide.

Apparently, they want to ramp up production in other factories to keep the outage in Zhengzhou in check. It is unclear if employees at the plant were actually ill or if it was just a safety measure in accordance with China’s Zero-COVID policy.

Employees locked down, fled in droves

Further, Reuters reports that employees at the plant fled the factory last weekend to escape the spreading COVID wave that has gripped the factory since mid-October 2022.

According to the report, Foxconn had locked workers in the plant to prevent the virus from spreading. “We were locked up on Oct. 14 and had to run endless PCR tests,” one employee was quoted as saying.

Positive COVID cases were communicated publicly, he said, but those affected still had to continue working. Around 20,000 employees, or 10 percent of the entire factory, had been quarantined within the Zhengzhou plant – but Foxconn did not reveal specific details to its employees.

Foxconn had already come under criticism once again around two years ago. In 2020, they continued iPhone production despite a COVID outbreak. Meanwhile, manufacturers from Taiwan are supposed to declare China as the country of origin, which is supposed to bring relief in customs.