According to Apple’s website, all 14-inch and 16-inch Macbook Pro models ordered now are expected to ship in 7-9 weeks. Some of the reasons for this include ongoing lockdowns in Chinese cities and supply shortages, but there are also reports of worker riots at the factories where these laptops are assembled.
The latest Covid-19 outbreak has devastated China. The country’s strict anti-pandemic policies, combined with the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant, have resulted in the closure of several Chinese cities, affecting supply chains.
Apple is the most recent victim of these lockdowns, with the production of their MacBook Pro 14 and 16 laptops failing to meet demand. Quanta Computer, reportedly the sole manufacturer of the notebooks mentioned above, has been experiencing production levels as low as 5% of capacity at its Shanghai factory in recent months.
The situation appears to be improving slightly, as Quanta’s vice chairman CC Leung stated that production lines were at 30% of their maximum output at the end of April. The company is currently attempting to scale it back up to 50%.
While component shortages and city-wide lockdowns are to blame, there have also been reports of employee riots at the factory. The news comes as no surprise, given that some of these workers are required to sleep and live on the premises as part of a “closed-loop” isolation system.
According to Apple’s website, all 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models currently have a 7-9 week shipping time, whereas the 13-inch models are in stock.
