An overwhelmed Apple quickly ran out of a rather paltry iPhone Plus supply (all storage sizes and finishes) at Apple Retail Stores around the world today.
Huge lines at Apple Stores, containing what witnesses described as “entire bus loads of Chinese citizens” regardless of where the retail store was located, were nearly immediately disappointed as Apple Store staffers informed the throngs, “We are all out of iPhone Pluses!” Under their breath, more than one staffer muttered, basically, “and don’t hold your breath for the next shipment.”
Apple also attempted to implement a new system of digital numbers via Passbook for those in the queues, but with an average of 2-3 minutes per person or longer, and, in the U.S. at least, encountering significant language issues (English to Chinese or, more accurately, the lack thereof), Apple’s digital numbers struggled to make their way through the lines. At multiple Apple retail Stores, most people in line, even those who arrived hours before store opening, never got a number before finding out that the vastly insufficient supply of iPhone Pluses had evaporated.
Scuttlebut we’ve heard says that Apple’s iPhone Plus display yields are “in the toilet” with “four or more out of every ten screens having to be thrown out.” Trusted sources told MacDailyNews that severe supply constraints for iPhone Plus will continue for “weeks, maybe months.” This “isn’t a case of [Apple] misjudging demand,” rather “it’s a case of 5.5-inch display yield.”
The supply of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 seemed stronger, with Apple Retail Stores fulfilling large demand throughout the morning.
Suffice to say, if you’re looking for an iPhone 6 Plus, you’re going to be looking for awhile.