Apple has no easy road out of China
Live MintApple Inc.’s short-term problems depend on the patience of its most lucrative iPhone buyers. Apple has been selling Pro versions of each year’s iPhone family for the past three years, using enhancements such as a more powerful camera and premium materials to command a higher price point for Pro devices compared with each year’s mainline release. That gap is even greater this year as only the iPhone 14 Pro models got Apple’s latest in-house processor while the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus devices are using last year’s A15 chip. The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus models currently have little-to-no wait time on Apple’s online store, while delivery times for the two Pro designs are currently around Dec. 28. But growing unrest in China furthers the questions for Apple’s long-term direction beyond just near-term iPhone sales.