Apple's iPad 3 Launch Putting Squeeze on Freight Shipments from China
While rumors of iPad 3 shipments already being en route having been circulating for some time now, we're now hearing from shipping representatives at other companies who are having a difficult time even getting their products shipped over to the United States from China as Apple's preparations for the iPad 3 launch have significantly squeezed the air freight industry.
One shipping representative told MacRumors last week that his freight broker in China has been scrambling to find space for his company's shipments, with shipping rates rising 20% in one week as Apple has snapped up available capacity at premium rates. Another shipping manager told us a similar story today, with his company being unable to find space with its usual carrier due to Apple's demand and having to scramble to find alternatives for moving products overseas.
We've been hearing for almost two weeks now that Apple has been moving iPad 3 units into the United States, staging them through its shipping carrier's hub facilities under very high security. We can specifically say that at least one of the iPad 3 part numbers has been seen making its way into the United States. A second part number, MC744LL/A, which has so far not been linked to any specific product, has also been spotted.
It certainly appears that Apple is planning for the iPad 3 to be available very soon after its introduction on Wednesday. Consequently, the company has clearly been working hard to move massive quantities of the device into position for rapid deployment to stores around the United States and presumably a number of other countries included in the first round of launches.
Update: AppleInsider is now reporting similar information specifically related to freight going through DHL, one of the major international carriers sometimes used by Apple.
Popular Stories
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
