Apple expects customer demand to stay very strong during the upcoming September quarter, even if its supply chain cannot fully keep up. During his final earnings call with investors before stepping down, CEO Tim Cook said demand for Apple products will be higher than the company can currently supply.
Cook explained that the challenge is not related to RAM shortages or missing components. Instead, Apple is seeing much stronger demand for its products than expected. As a result, supply partners may not be able to produce enough devices to meet customer orders.
“This isn’t a partner or supplier issue. The issue is an incredibly strong demand,” Cook said.
His comments suggest that Apple’s manufacturing partners can still produce devices at their usual pace. However, the company now needs far more products because customer interest has increased significantly. While this creates a supply gap, it also reflects healthy demand across Apple’s product lineup.
The expected pressure will affect the September quarter, also known as Q3. Customers looking to buy new iPhones, iPads, or Macs could face longer waiting times if demand continues to exceed supply.
For now, it is unclear whether Apple’s supply chain will recover during Q4. If demand remains this high, the company could continue facing supply challenges into early 2027. Apple will likely work closely with its manufacturing partners to increase production, but the success of those efforts remains uncertain.
