Damaged your iPhone? You may have to wait for a replacement as Coronavirus hits China supply chain

Chennai: Production of iPhones in China has slowed down as the coronavirus hit Apple’s supply chains and workers under lockdown in sealed off Chinese cities could not report to work at factories. So, not only would you have to wait if you’re thinking of purchasing a new iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro, but if you damage your old phone, you may not get a replacement device right away.

Apple has informed its store employees and franchises that replacement of damaged iPhones may be delayed by two to four weeks, Bloomberg reported. However, the store will likely be able to lend you an iPhone temporarily until your replacement device arrives.

A substantial portion of the world’s technological components manufacturing is done in China. With the country being the worst-affected by the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak that started in one of its cities, Wuhan, factories have been shut as citizens in several Chinese cities were put under lockdown.

Apple has reportedly scaled down its revenue targets for the quarter as manufacturing and supplies in China and other parts of the world got hit by the virus outbreak. The iPhone maker expects production and supply to go back to normal when workers return to factories in about two to four weeks.