Vanaf het moment dat bekend werd dat er een grote uitbraak was van het nieuwe COVID-19 virus, beter bekend als het coronavirus, leek het voor de hand te liggen dat dit een effect zou hebben op bedrijven die veel zaken met China doen. En bij Apple is dat overduidelijk het geval.

Na eerder geruststellend nieuws heeft Apple inmiddels een open brief aan investeerders op de site gezet, waarin de eerdere verwachtingen voor het komende kwartaal naar beneden worden bijgesteld. Daaruit blijkt dat de productie van iPhones harder is geraakt dan waar Apple eerder op rekende, ook omdat die productie na de stop langzamer op gang blijkt gekomen. Er doen geruchten de ronde dat dit het uitbrengen van Apple's low-budget iPhone (ook wel SE2 of iPhone 9 genoemd) zou vertragen, omdat daar nog geen exacte datum aan verbonden was is het moeilijk om te zeggen of deze geruchten kloppen.



Andere devices die mogelijk vertraging op zullen lopen zijn de nieuwe iPadPro modellen en de ‘lite’ versie van de AirPods Pro.

Daarnaast zullen de verkopen binnen China zelf ook onder deze uitbraak lijden, naast de sluiting van alle Apple Stores zijn er natuurlijk veel meer Apple-dealers die de deuren gesloten hebben gehouden, en veel minder mensen die de straat opgaan om wat te kopen.

Hieronder vind je de complete tekst van de doorApple gepubliceerde open brief:

Investor update on quarterly guidance

Cupertino, California — February 17, 2020 — As the public health response to COVID-19 continues, our thoughts remain with the communities and individuals most deeply affected by the disease, and with those working around the clock to contain its spread and to treat the ill. Apple is more than doubling our previously announced donation to support this historic public health effort.

Our quarterly guidance issued on January 28, 2020 reflected the best information available at the time as well as our best estimates about the pace of return to work following the end of the extended Chinese New Year holiday on February 10. Work is starting to resume around the country, but we are experiencing a slower return to normal conditions than we had anticipated. As a result, we do not expect to meet the revenue guidance we provided for the March quarter due to two main factors.

The first is that worldwide iPhone supply will be temporarily constrained. While our iPhone manufacturing partner sites are located outside the Hubei province — and while all of these facilities have reopened — they are ramping up more slowly than we had anticipated. The health and well-being of every person who helps make these products possible is our paramount priority, and we are working in close consultation with our suppliers and public health experts as this ramp continues. These iPhone supply shortages will temporarily affect revenues worldwide.

The second is that demand for our products within China has been affected. All of our stores in China and many of our partner stores have been closed. Additionally, stores that are open have been operating at reduced hours and with very low customer traffic. We are gradually reopening our retail stores and will continue to do so as steadily and safely as we can. Our corporate offices and contact centers in China are open, and our online stores have remained open throughout.

Outside of China, customer demand across our product and service categories has been strong to date and in line with our expectations.

The situation is evolving, and we will provide more information during our next earnings call in April. Apple is fundamentally strong, and this disruption to our business is only temporary. Our first priority — now and always — is the health and safety of our employees, supply chain partners, customers and the communities in which we operate. Our profound gratitude is with those on the front lines of confronting this public health emergency.

Naast de open brief heeft Apple’s CEO Tim Cook ook een memo aan de eigen medewerkers verstuurd, die kan je in zijn geheel hieronder lezen:

Team,

The response to COVID-19 has touched the lives of so many in the Apple family, and I want to thank everyone for their dedication, empathy, understanding, and care. Today, we more than doubled our donation to support the historic and global health response.

Our paramount concern is with the people who make up Apple's community of employees, partners, customers, and suppliers in China. I also want to recognize the many people across our teams who have been working around the clock to manage Apple's global COVID-19 response with diligence and thoughtfulness.

Corporate offices and contact centers have reopened across China, and our stores are starting to reopen, but we are experiencing a slower return to normal conditions than we had anticipated. This afternoon, I shared this update with our community of shareholders and investors to note that we do not expect to meet the revenue guidance we provided for the March quarter. Outside of China, customer demand across our product and service categories has been strong to date and in line with our expectations. Apple is fundamentally strong, and this disruption to our business is only temporary.

Our first priority - now and always - is the health and safety of our employees, supply chain partners, customers, and the communities in which we operate. Our profound gratitude is with those on the front lines of confronting this public health emergency.

Tim

 #iPhone