Apple has finally shipped the first batch of iPhone X devices from China, says report

The first batch of iPhone X handsets have finally made their way through the manufacturing process and been shipped from a Foxconn factory in China, according to Chinese publication Xinhuanet.

This inaugural shipment brings Apple's highly anticipated iPhone X smartphone one step closer to reaching consumers after many reported delays.

But take this news with a huge grain of salt. The Taiwanese report was picked up by Digitimes, which has a spotty track record when it comes to accurately reporting supply chain rumors (it was also later grabbed by 9to5Mac). The publication says that the first shipment of iPhone X devices left Foxconn's facilities in Zhengzhou and Shanghai on Monday. The phones were reportedly sent to the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

This first wave of iPhone Xs will do little to quell the massive demand for the new phone, however. There were be only an estimated 46,500 devices produced between the two Chinese facilities, while there are expected to be upwards of 50 million preorders once the period kicks off on Oct. 27.

Foxconn has reportedly been able to ratchet up its manufacturing output to about 400,000 units per week, but at that rate, Apple still won't be able to meet the massive demand for the iPhone X.

Ming-Chi Kuo, a reputable analyst, believes that Apple will only be able to ship 30 to 35 million iPhone Xs by the end of the year. That could mean that even customers with preorders will wind up waiting for their new phones until at least 2018.

Production issues have clouded the iPhone X's launch even before the device was officially unveiled in September. Apple reportedly struggled to implement some of the new tech included in the handset, most notably new 3D face-scanner, and other supply chain constraints potentially kept manufacturing from starting until this month.

The new report of the first iPhone X shipments hasn't been confirmed by Apple, though, so there is a chance that the company and its partners will be able produce more of the phones to come closer to meeting demand. Either way, the iPhone X is all but guaranteed to be a big hit from the moment it's available on Nov. 3 — the only real question is how long it'll take you to get your hands on one.