Despite supply concerns, Apple has iPhone 5s well stocked

iPhone 5

The new iPhone 5 is displayed during an Apple special event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on September 12, 2012 in San Francisco, California.
Photographer: (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

advertisement

Posted: 11/29/2012

It looks like there will not be a shortage of iPhone 5s this holiday season, with plenty of the devices for all carriers in stock at stores around the U.S.

Analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray said in a note to investors Thursday that Apple Stores have enough phones physically in stock that "consumers can walk into an Apple Store and walk out with a phone."

The iPhone 5 went on sale September 14, selling 5 million units over its first weekend. The device has been plagued by rumors of supply chain problems since then.

There were labor strikes at the Foxconn plant where the phones are manufactured, and Foxconn chairman Terry Gou said the devices were not easy to make and that, "We are falling short of meeting the huge demand."

If Munster's conclusions are correct, Apple and its supply chain partners have overcome those problems in time for the December rush. Munster conducted a survey of 20 Apple Stores to check on their stocks of Verizon, Sprint and AT&T iPhone 5s, and AppleInsider said it confirmed the availability with local Apple Stores.

Earlier in the month, Piper Jaffray called 70 Apple Stores and concluded that there were lower supplies of AT&T and Verizon iPhone 5s, though Sprint models were increasingly available.

The firm also conducted a poll earlier this month and found that demand for the device was strong in the U.S., with 55% of people planning to buy a smartphone choosing an iPhone 5 over rival devices.

Apple isn't the only smartphone manufacturer to struggle with supplies recently. Google's Nexus 4 Android handset sold out in one day when it went on sale November 13 in Australia, the UK and United States. But on Tuesday, the company announced a new wave of devices were in stock and available for purchase. Google is not releasing sales numbers for the Nexus 4.

Samsung's Galaxy S III has also been selling fast across the U.S.

According to Strategy Analytics, the Galaxy S III was the top selling smartphone in the world in the third quarter of 2012, knocking the iPhone out of the top spot for the first time in years. The iPhone 5 wasn't yet on sale, so the race for top smartphone of 2013 is still up in the air.

Copyright CNN

  • Comments
  • More Apple Stories
Brandon Ashmore of Mentor downloads Apple's 50 billionth app, wins $10,000 app store gift card
Mentor man downloads milestone Apple…

A man from Mentor won a $10,000 gift card from Apple for …

How Siri, Google Now respond to 5 questions
How Siri, Google Now respond to 5 Qs

With Google's voice assistant now available on iPhones and …

Google's virtual assistant invades Siri's turf
Google invades Siri's turf

The sometimes droll assistant that answers questions and helps …

Analyst: 60-inch Apple iTV to launch this year
Analyst: 60" Apple iTV to launch

It's no secret that Apple wants to get into the living room by …

Analyst: 60-inch Apple (APPL) iTV to launch this year
Analyst: 60-inch Apple iTV to launch

It's no secret that Apple wants to get into the living room by …

Report: Apple to release updated phone this summer
Possible summer release for new iPhone

The Wall Street Journal says Apple is set for a possible summer…

Apple patents iPhone with wraparound display
Apple patents wraparound-display iPhone

Apple is seeking a patent for an iPhone that has a display that…

9 things Apple (AAPL) could do with $137B
9 things Apple could do with $137B

What could apple do Apple do with $137 billion?

Apple unveils iPad with more memory
Apple unveils iPad with more memory

Apple says it will sell an iPad with more memory than the …

iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 report: 3 new iPhones coming in next 12 months from Apple (APPL)
Report: 3 new iPhones coming soon

John Matarese has the latest buzz about hot new Apple products.

Advertisement

Science Tech News


  1. Microsoft touts Xbox One as all-in-1

    Microsoft touts Xbox One as all-in-1

    Microsoft thinks it has the one. The company unveiled the Xbox One, an entertainment console that promises to be the one system households will need for games, TV, movies and other entertainment.

    • App stores all your loyalty cards

      App stores all your loyalty cards

      Do you lose your loyalty or reward cards? There's an app to keep it all organized and help you earn even more rewards.

      • Yahoo takes big leap, buys Tumblr

        • Mentor man downloads milestone Apple app

          • How closely do you check your cell bill?

          • Arizona bakery's Facebook meltdown

            • App motivates kids to do chores

              • Trending now on newsnet5
               
              • Stay Connected

              Send us a News Tip Send us a News Tip
              Mobile & iPhone/Android Apps Mobile & iPhone/Android Apps
              Twitter Twitter
              Facebook Facebook
              YouTube YouTube
              Community Calendar Community Calendar
              RSS Feeds RSS Feeds
              ClevelandLaw.tv ClevelandLaw.tv