Apple's iPhone X supply problems just got a little bit worse.
Merely days before the iPhone X was to be available in the United States, a pack of thieves went and stole more than 300 iPhone X models right from a UPS delivery truck Wednesday, Nov. 1, while the vehicle was parked outside Stonestown Apple Store in San Francisco, California.
Thieves Steal Over 300 iPhone X Models
A police report shared by CNET says the truck was in the middle of delivering 313 iPhone X models when three "husky" hooded men broke into the truck and took off with the devices. The total value of the stolen iPhone X models was estimated to be over $370,000. The iPhone X begins hitting shelves Friday, Nov. 3, starting at $999 for the standard model. It's possible larger-storage models, which cost more, were in the truck as well.
A witness spotted the three men unloading boxes from the UPS truck and into their own white Dodge van and promptly snapped a photo of the theft in action. He thinks it's "suspicious" that the thieves were able to get such a large haul on that day.
The suspects haven't been caught yet. Customers who had preordered the device and were supposed to get it from Stonestown Apple Store will still receive their orders on time regardless, so they shouldn't expect any delays. But how the theft will affect iPhone X availability for walk-ins at Stonestown Apple Store remains uncertain.
Stealing iPhones and selling them for cheap at black markets is a lucrative business, but Apple's Find My iPhone feature, which enables owners of stolen iPhones to remotely erase and make their device defunct, makes stealing such devices essentially useless. That's why for thieves, they key is to steal iPhones that haven't been set up with the feature yet.
iPhone X
The iPhone X is one of this year's most anticipated phones, perhaps even the most talked-about out of all the flagships that have been released so far. It's Apple's most radically redesigned iPhone yet, and that's thanks to the all-screen front panel, which is interrupted only by a controversial notch at the top.
Reports say Apple is expected to suffer from supply issues with the iPhone X because of problems in production, particularly with the phone's OLED display, which is manufactured by Samsung. Some preorder deliveries have even been pushed to mid-December because of supply scarcity.
Thoughts about the iPhone X? Are you getting one? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
