iPhone 5 has sold almost 50 million devices worldwide. PHOTO BY ADRIANO MANCINI
By Adriano Mancini
Multinational electronics manufacturer, Foxconn, has admitted it has fallen behind its worldwide demand in the manufacture of Apple’s iPhone5.
“It’s not easy to make the iPhones.,” said Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou in an interview with Reuters Canada on Wednesday.
“We are falling short of meeting the huge demand. We can’t really fulfill Apple’s requests. Our shipments are insufficient given the huge market demand,” he said.
Since March, Foxconn has been the lead manufacturer for a majority of Apple products, including earlier versions of the iPhone and the popular iPad devices.
Gou’s statement came one day after it was revealed the iPhone5 was out of stock in India. Reuters reported that 25,000 units had been shipped and sold since the Nov. 2 launch in the emerging economic powerhouse.
This isn’t the first time the Taiwan-based manufacturer has encountered problems. According to the Toronto Star, a worker riot took place at Foxconn in September, crippling the production phase of the newest Apple toy.
Some Canadian cellular providers have offered to put customers who are waiting to purchase the phone on a reserve list. A message to anxious iPhone buyers from Rogers Canada says more that 50,000 notices have been sent to purchasers promising delivery within two weeks on pain of a $50 credit.
Roberto Cotognini, 18, said the wait for the new phone requires patience.
“I have been waiting for my iPhone5 for over three weeks now,” Cotognini told Humber News. He is currently number 1526 on the Rogers list.
“They (Rogers) keep telling me that there is no date for when they receive their next shipment, so that is a bit frustrating.” he added.
According to Apple, about five million Iphone5’s have been sold worldwide since the North American launch on Sept.21