MacRumors covers the effort by Apple to switch to random serial numbers and stop embedding manufacturing information in the serial number with a sequence of higher numbers as more are built.

In an internal AppleCare email this week, obtained by MacRumors, Apple said the new serial number format will consist of a randomized alphanumeric string of 8-14 characters that will no longer include manufacturing information or a configuration code. Apple said the serial number format transition is scheduled for "early 2021," and confirmed that IMEI numbers will not be affected by this change.

Some people and organizations are stuck in the old school of a serial number has to be a sequence. It helps them count. They have a bean counter mindset.

a person, typically an accountant or bureaucrat, perceived as placing excessive emphasis on controlling expenditure and budgets.

In Arstechnica some are whining about the change.

Serial numbers are used in online forums, repair shops, and company IT departments to expedite troubleshooting and other tasks by quickly learning more about the machine in question—for example, whether a computer that is exhibiting a problem is part of a certain set of models manufactured in a certain time period that all have that issue. Some of the information will still be accessible after either booting the machine up or taking it apart.

But let’s look at what a random serial number approach does. #1 is u can make the number of characters shorter which has how many hours accumulated across customer support issues. The manufacturing process is much easier to assign a random number, then associate the relevant information required for support and service like manufacturing date, production run, manufacturing location. The current serial number has benefits in case of theft to determine information about the unit without logging into an Apple system to check the serial number information. If you log in, there is now an event at a given from an IP address that could help support recovery of stolen devices.

It is change that makes things easier in the long run, and a minor inconvenience for those who built their processes around the existing numbers.

One of these days serial numbers will be QR codes that can be quickly looked up for product status.