On January 30th, reports emerged that Apple had delivered an outstanding performance during the Christmas shopping season. The demand for the latest iPhone models skyrocketed to unprecedented heights, propelling a substantial 23% year-on-year surge in revenue from its flagship devices during the holiday quarter, with the figure soaring to an impressive $85.27 billion. Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, remarked that this robust sales trend has left Apple with "an exceptionally lean channel inventory" as it steps into the new year. He commented, "We are fully dedicated to 'bridging the supply gap' to satisfy the soaring demand from our customers. Presently, supply is restricted, posing challenges in forecasting when supply and demand will reach equilibrium."

It's worth noting that Apple does not manufacture its own memory chips; instead, it depends on external suppliers such as SK Hynix, Micron Technology, and Samsung Electronics. While other computer makers like Lenovo and Dell have disclosed their inventory buildup strategies, Cook refrained from offering a definitive outlook for Apple. He merely mentioned that the shortage had a "negligible" effect on last quarter's profits and would exert a "somewhat greater" influence this quarter. He further added that Apple would explore a range of strategies to tackle this challenge.