Apple Again Dominating Shipping Capacity Out of China Ahead of iPhone 6 Launch
As Apple prepares to unveil the iPhone 6 and its much-rumored iWatch at its September 9 event, TechCrunch reports that the Cupertino company has once again booked a high amount of shipping space out of China. The company's shipping volume is reportedly so high that it's begun displacing competitors' attempts at shipping during the fall.
Apple shipments via major concerns like FedEx and UPS are said to be ‘unprecedented’ for the holiday quarter, pointing to a massive number of iPhones and whatever other devices Apple announces for the fall season. The company is apparently flooding its channels with devices, causing shipments for other ‘top tier’ device makers to be delayed to make way for Apple products.
Competing manufacturers have apparently been told by shipping companies that they cannot fulfill their deadlines because they were being booked by a "very important customer", which is likely to be Apple.
Last year, a report indicated that Apple begins moving new iPhones from Foxconn and Pegatron factories to distribution centers around the world through shipping companies with extra security detail. Once they're in distribution centers, Apple begins managing the flow of the devices to the people who want them based on device color and size.
Such impact on the shipping industry is not unusual for Apple, as MacRumors reported in 2012 that Apple had been buying up shipping space in high volume in advance of the launch of the iPad 3, also moving them to distribution centers around the world before its official launch while leaving competitors to scramble for cargo space.
Ahead of Apple's September 9 event, it's highly likely iPhone 6 models are stealthily being moved across the world, ready for deployment as soon as orders begin. MacRumors has heard that shipments are indeed beginning now for staging in the United States.
(Photo courtesy of Alan Radecki)
Popular Stories
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind.
Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe.
Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more.
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date.
Keep reading...
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others.
During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos
Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features.
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features.
Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition.
The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
We're officially less than one week away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these...
Apple is planning to release new entry-level models across its iPhone, iPad, and Mac categories early next year, with an all-new affordable MacBook the most notable addition to the lineup.
According to a new research report by Jeff Pu of GF Securities seen by MacRumors, Apple will launch the iPhone 17e – its second iteration of the "e" line – in the spring, likely along with a...
