Apple CEO Tim Cook: iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Demand 'Far Outstripping' Supply

Apple CEO Tim Cook commented on the balance between supply and demand for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus during today's earnings call, stating that demand is far outstripping supply despite a satisfactory production ramp-up. Cook noted that available data makes it unclear as to when supply will catch up with demand, and that the company was "not close" to having a balance between supply and demand at the end of Q4 2014.

iphone_6_iphone_6_plus
Supplies for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have remained tight since the launch of both devices last month, as new iPhone 6 orders still show a shipping estimate of 7-10 business days while the iPhone 6 Plus is still showing a shipping delay of 3-4 weeks. It is worth noting that the iPhone 6 has been mostly available at Apple's own stores and other retail locations, while the iPhone 6 Plus has a constrained supply in-store.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Apple delayed plans to mass produce the larger 12.9-inch iPad in order to shift its resources towards the iPhone 6 Plus as it has remained unsatisfied with the production output from its suppliers for its larger iPhone. A report from earlier this month also stated that the company is shifting its production balance towards the iPhone 6 Plus which may gradually improve its supplies of the larger phone.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
apple intelligence black

Report: Apple's AI Strategy Could Finally Pay Off in 2026

Tuesday December 30, 2025 9:01 am PST by
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues. The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
apple fitness 2026 1

Apple Teases 'Something Big' Coming Soon to Apple Fitness+

Tuesday December 30, 2025 2:11 pm PST by
The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account today teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+. What's Apple Fitness+ Planning for the New Year? Something Big is Coming to Apple Fitness+ The Countdown Begins. Apple Fitness+ 2026 is Almost Here 2026 Plans Still Under ...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Mac Pro Feature Blue

What's Happening With the Mac Pro?

Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro. Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...
Apple Fitness Plus hero

Apple Announces New Fitness+ Workout Programs, Strava Challenge, and More

Friday January 2, 2026 6:43 am PST by
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch. The key announcements include: New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January. "Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...

Top Rated Comments

Dezryth Avatar
146 months ago
The thing is, is it really worth quoting "fastest roll-out ever" every iPhone release though?

Why not strip back with the countries, and give demand to the countries that need it the most. Allocate stock properly, and catch up quicker.

Whilst it's not entirely fair for more countries to wait longer.. but you catch my drift right?

These kinds of posts really bother me. Should the entire world wait until every American who feels entitled has received their iPhone before they become available in other countries?

I'm from Southern California so I know the personality types that feel they 'need' their new shiny phone, but you can wait. Just curious, how would you determine which countries 'need' the phone the most?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lotzosushi Avatar
146 months ago
It would be interesting to know how many people switched back from Android because of the larger screen.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stephroll Avatar
146 months ago
Thank god they only put 1GB of RAM in those ..imagine the wait if ....
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BCWorld Avatar
146 months ago
HEY TIM COOK YOU LEFT OUT THE CORES IN THE NEW 2014 MAC MINI!!
ARE YOU SHORT ON QUAD CORES TOO??????????????????????:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Keirasplace Avatar
146 months ago
Maybe that would make the phone "older" though in the sense that they can be designing and engineering for a longer period before starting production if they don't start way ahead of launch.

And they would never want to produce too many so that it would appear that they weren't a hot commodity. I love Apple but, let's face it, the lines would be shorter if people knew they could just stroll in and buy one or order online a few days after the crowds die down. Just in time manufacturing principles also.

Anyone who thinks Apple likes people to wait 4 weeks for their phone is just silly. Its the engineering, manufacturing rampup that takes up most of the time. Also, producing 50M phones, tying up 15B in inventory (not producing your other phones in the process!!) seems a bit idiotic. The fact that they're able to manufacture and ship 80-100M phones in 4 months is just incredible as is.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
koruki Avatar
146 months ago
I got a 128GB 6 for my wife cause her 64gb 5S keeps getting used up with our daughters photos videos. We're both not happy with the size bump. I realise there is a demand for a larger screen but the 5S is perfect for us and so many others. They could of released the 6plus and an updated 5S size. If there was a choice I'd love a new 5S with 128GB and A8.

The size they so proudly boosted about just a year ago is now abandoned, ignoring it worked perfectly for so many customers all these years. To make it worse they even removed the 64GB 5S from the store for those who prefer it's size.

They should release a version like the sports car version in their line up. 5S size, 128GB, latest CPU, same thickness as current 5S with thicker battery which resolves the protruding camera issue (so unnecessary if you ask me in the 6). Make the antenna out of stainless steel again like the 4 as my 5 antenna dents like play-dough when dropped.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)