Low supplies of iPhone 6s Plus are a 'light' issue
We’ve talked about the fact that the iPhone 6s Plus is showing a longer ship time than any of the other new handsets, and now we have some idea of the reason for the delay. Apparently, production issues related to the handset’s backlight are causing short supplies of the iPhone 6s Plus, according to AppleInsider.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities sent out a note to investors discussing the issues faced by Apple supplier Minebea. Kuo claims that Apple has placed rush orders with a competing manufacturer of the component, Radiant, hoping to address the problem.
As we pointed out, shipping times for the iPhone 6s Plus are already pushed out to three to four weeks after the Sept. 25 launch. Kuo expects an even more severe shortage of the larger handset at launch time, mainly because of the reported bottlenecks in producing the backlight module.
Kuo points out that Radiant has worked with Cupertino in the past, providing the backlight modules for the iPad mini. Since the iPad mini’s 7.9-inch screen is relatively close to the iPhone 6s Plus’s 5.5-inch display, Kuo is of the belief that Radiant might be “more skilled” at producing the modules in that size range.
Kuo thinks Radiant will be so better equipped to handle the production of the backlight modules, in fact, that new orders from Apple will boost the company’s supply of the component. Radiant currently provides roughly 40 percent of the backlight modules. Kuo thinks that number could reach 80 percent.
At the end of the day, most people probably don’t care why the supply levels are short. What matters is that Apple is trying to improve the situation and get the devices flowing out to consumers. That’s exactly what Cupertino is doing, recognizing the problem and doing something about it. Hopefully, Radiant will pick up the supply slack quickly and shipping times will improve.
