AirPods Pro Supply Plummets — Here Are 3 Ways You Can Still Get Them

Apple’s new AirPods Pro wireless headphones are wildly popular, but that poses a problem since the company seems to be running out of them faster than it can make them.

The supply of Apple’s noise-canceling AirPods Pro appears to be critically low. As of the writing of this article, they’re currently sold out on Amazon. Apple’s own website lists the earliest delivery date as March 13.

There could be a number of reasons for that. For one, their popularity. Last year, Bloomberg reported that demand for AirPods Pro turned out to be “much higher” than anticipated. At the time, that demand pushed Apple’s supply chain partners to their production capacities and technical limits.

In other words, it looks like the only reason Apple isn’t selling more AirPods is that it just can’t make them quickly enough.

As a result, Apple had planned to aggressively ramp up production of AirPods — up to 45 million units in just the first half of 2020. But then, China was struck by mandatory factory closures in the wake of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

Even though supply plants are slowly beginning to reopen, shortages of critical components and skilled labor continue to snarl Apple’s AirPods plans.

Put simply, the wireless headphones are scarce. They’ll likely continue to be scarce for the time being. With that being said, there are a few things you can try to get AirPods Pro sooner than later.

1. Look at brick-and-mortar Apple Stores. It appears that some Apple retail locations across the U.S. still have AirPods Pro in stock. Your own mileage may vary, but it’s worth a shot. You can check current pickup and stock statuses on Apple’s website.
2. Try third-party retailers. While Apple is prioritizing its own retail locations and online storefront, some third-party locations may still have AirPods Pro in stock. It may be a wild goose chase, but you could get lucky. Try calling ahead before taking the time to check them out.
3. Patience. If you don’t mind waiting, patience appears to be the surest way to get AirPods Pro. Order them from Apple’s website and you could get them next month. Better yet, place an order on Amazon. It isn’t clear when the retail giant will restock, but you get them at a discount even while waiting.