iPhone 14 Pro lead times elevated but stable, iPhone 14 demand 'modest'

Lead times for the iPhone 14 Pro models have stabilized after increasing due to the Zhengzhou factory's COVID issues, an availability tracker states, while demand for the iPhone 14 models are "modest" in comparison.

In the ninth week of the Apple Product Availability Tracker conducted by JP Morgan analysts, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max still have lengthy lead times. After growing by approximately a week in the week 8 results, the two models have seen their availabilities freeze at 31 days each, the same as the previous results.

JP Morgan says the lead times are a "likely indication of the challenges related to an ongoing COVID outbreak in China, particularly in the area around Foxconn's major iPhone factory."

The issues are significant enough to prompt Apple to publish a rare Sunday press release, advising of lower production of its Pro model iPhones at the facility.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus demands continue to "remain modest," with the overall global timescales now down to 2 days apiece from 3 days one week prior.

Relative to the iPhone 13 series, the lead times are shorter for the base iPhone 14 model, while the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are in-line with their year-ago counterparts.

For the US tracker, lead times are largely unchanged, at 3 days and 32 days for the non-Pro and Pro models respectively. Relative to the iPhone 13 generation, the iPhone 13 and mini would've been around 10 days at this point in the cycle.

In China, the base iPhone 14 lead time increased from 2 days one week ago to 4 days, with the iPhone 14 Plus lead times shifting from 2 days to 3 days. Even so, overall lead times for the base models are still "less favorable relative to demand last year," which saw lead times of around a week.

The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max lead times in China continue to track for 29 days.

In Europe, Germany lead times for the Pro models moderated "slightly" to 32 days from 34 days a week ago. In the UK, the Pro lead times remained stable at 29 days.

The iPhone 14 and Plus tracked to 1 day in Germany, down from 5 days, whereas deliveries for the models in the UK stayed at 1 day.

For the Wearables Tracker, the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch SE lead times stabilized to 7 days. The Apple Watch Ultra saw its lead times moderate from 19 days to 14 days.

The AirPods Pro Gen 2 had its lead times expand slightly, rising from 2 days last week to 4 days.