iPhone Shortages Inevitable

Executive director of the Supply Chain Management Institute at the University of San Diego Simon Croom has warned iPhone fans to expect shortages for the device. Check our pricing and availability page for regular updates

When a doctor from the Supply Chain Management Institute says a new gadget is likely to suffer shortages, you tend to believe him. So Dr Simon Croom's warning that Apple is likely to suffer serious supply issues in its first couple of months on sale shouldn't be disregarded.

"Undoubtedly there will be shortages, service issues and challenges for call centers set upto support users," he tells ZDNet. "Depending on reliability of the product, there may also be a rapid ramp up in returns and warranty claims. Using a global supply chain will likely cause more of a problem 4 – 8 weeks into the ‘first season’ of the launch."

Only a couple of months of shortages? Considering the scarcity of Nintendo Wiis six months after it launched, Apple will be doing pretty well if iPhones are in plentiful supply by the end of August.

Simon Croom on iPhone (via iPhonic)