SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO 
PDG Explores $1 Billion Sale of China Data Center Assets 
Samsung Faces Major Strike Threat as Union Restarts Pay Talks 
SpaceX Starship V3 Test Flight Boosts IPO Momentum Ahead of Historic Market Debut 
Google, Blackstone Launch $5B AI Cloud Venture to Challenge Nvidia and CoreWeave 
SoftBank Shares Surge as OpenAI IPO Buzz and SB Energy Filing Boost AI Optimism 
OpenAI Expands Globally with First Overseas AI Lab in Singapore 
Analog Devices Nears $1.5B Acquisition of AI Chip Firm Empower Semiconductor 
Samsung, Union Edge Closer to Deal as Strike Threat Looms 
Nvidia Beats Earnings Expectations as AI Demand Drives Record Growth 
X Corp Loses Legal Battle Over Australia Child Safety Fine 
Pentagon Expands AI Model Testing as It Seeks Alternatives to Anthropic’s Claude 
CXMT Forecasts Record Revenue Growth as Global DRAM Prices Surge 
Lam Research Expands AI-Powered Semiconductor Tools and Arizona Operations 
Apple’s truly wireless earbuds became one of its top-selling products, especially following the release of the AirPods Pro in late 2019. The demands are so high that Apple seems to have not totally caught up on it yet in terms of shipments. Additionally, tech companies with most of their suppliers and assemblers situated in China also have to deal with the effects of the Coronavirus outbreak on the industry.
AirPods: Apple wants to ‘drastically ramp up’ the production of truly wireless earbuds
Apple is, technically, not the first company to introduce the concept of a headset without any cord. It can be said, however, that the Cupertino, California-based tech giant was what made this category a worldwide phenomenon. So it is not surprising that Apple is also one of the leaders when it comes to selling truly wireless earbuds.
Nikkei reports that Apple has placed an order of 45 million units of AirPods to its Chinese manufacturers to be reportedly shipped within the first half of the year. Sources of the publication claimed that there has not been a new shipment of AirPods for the past two weeks. But things are expected to change as Chinese manufacturers are purportedly scheduled to resume operations on Monday, Feb. 10.
The same sources pointed out, however, that Apple’s China-based assemblers are not expected to immediately return to its full capacity. They are eyed to produce just 50 percent of their normal yield within the first week. Insiders are also concerned if the parts suppliers would be able to keep up with the manufacturers’ return to work next week.
AirPods supplies: Delivery option is available on Apple.com but with a 4-week waiting period
It can be recalled that there was quite a difficulty in finding a pair of AirPods Pro last holiday season. For weeks, tech fans were greeted with messages that the device was temporarily out of stock even on the official Apple website.
That is still partially the case now in February. United States customers, depending on their location, still have to check if Apple store locations have AirPods supplies while the delivery option is available with a four-week waiting period. Third-party retailers like Amazon has yet to restock on AirPods Pro while the second-generation AirPods are available with a $20 discount.
