The new iPhone 13 has been on sale for barely a week now, and Apple is reportedly experiencing production strains on both the base and Pro models, resulting in longer delivery times for customers who have not yet ordered.

This is according to a new report from Nikkei Asia (via MacRumors), which claims that the problem may have been caused by the recent COVID-19 wave in Vietnam and reduced manufacturing capacity for the lineup's upgraded camera systems.

"The disruption is primarily related to the limited supply of camera modules for the four iPhone 13 models.

According to Nikkei Asia, the rollout of the iPhone 13 models this year was initially expected to go fairly smoothly "as most changes to the updated devices were only incremental and Apple was able to stockpile many key components."

However, Apple's decision to introduce sensor-shift image stabilization technology to its entire lineup ran into difficulties as suppliers attempted to increase production without sacrificing quality and operating under the strict constraints of COVID-19.

A direct source told Nikkei Asia that "Assembler is still able to produce new iPhones, but there is a supply gap in the form of low inventory of camera modules." The official also said that at this stage the company is keeping a close eye on the situation in Vietnam and hopes that production will eventually be ramped up.

This has already affected iPhone 13 orders worldwide, with U.S. customers forced to wait up to four weeks, according to online Apple stores. The situation is not better in China, one of Apple's largest markets, where the current wait time for the iPhone 13 Pro Sierra Blue 512GB is estimated to be up to five weeks. At our last check, the estimated wait time for the same model on the U.S. website was three to four weeks.

However, it appears that the iPhone 13 is not the only device that customers may be waiting a while for. Recently we reported on shipping delays for the iPad mini 6. The causes may be different, but the classic supply-demand relationship may also be at play. After all, this would not be the first time Apple has experienced such a delay immediately after an event. A similar issue occurred immediately after this year's Spring Loaded event, when a delay in iPad Pro 2021 shipments was reported.

According to Nikkei Asia, the situation may improve around mid-October when demand settles down and production pressure is relieved. Until then, therefore, customers considering purchasing the new iPhone 13 may have to wait considerably longer than usual.