Apple limits online iPhone purchases to two per person amid coronavirus

Apple Inc is limiting customer purchases of iPhones over its online stores in many countries including the United States and China to a maximum of two handsets per person, checks on its website on Friday revealed. The purchase caps come just after the hardware maker closed all of its brick-and-mortar stores outside China, as the coronavirus spreads globally and forces lockdowns and limitations on public movement to contain it.

Checks on Apple’s website reveal that in numerous countries, a drop-down menu prevents customers from buying more than two of the same model iPhone, across all models. The last time it did so was in 2007, when the iPhone was first introduced, to stop people from reselling them. In mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and Singapore, a message appears above iPhone listings informing customers that purchases will be limited to two devices per order.

Apple declined to comment. The purchase limits come as Apple braces for a blow due to the coronavirus’ impact on sales, both due to supply chain disruptions and weak demand. As the illness swept China, Apple closed all of its brick-and-mortar retail outlets in the country, only reopening all of them by March 13. Foxconn, its most important manufacturing partner, temporarily halted operations, though founder Terry Gou has said that production has now returned to normal.

In February, Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote a letter warning investors the company would unlikely meet its initial revenue projections for the its calendar Q1 earnings guidance due to the virus. Now, while China’s factories have resumed operations, Apple and other hardware companies face weakening demand as the countries around the world shutter retail stores and enforce social distancing.

Apple limits online iPhone purchases to two per person amid coronavirus, Reuters, Mar 20