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Digitimes shares a report from Taiwan's Commercial Times claiming that Apple has cut orders for iPhone components during the fourth quarter by 10-15%. The report claims that sales of the device have slowed significantly since the pre-order and launch phase and that shortages of a few components have also been impacting overall production. iPad production may also be seeing some cutbacks.
According to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report, Apple is likely to adjust downward its shipments of iPhones and iPads from related suppliers by 10-15% in the fourth quarter.
Related iPhone 4S suppliers including cases and camera lens makers as well as ODM assemblers have received notice from Apple to reduce their shipments for the fourth quarter, but none of them has confirmed the report, the paper said.
Some international IC players have also indicated that their revenues are likely to slide by 10-15% in the fourth quarter due to the shipment adjustments for iPhone 4S.
Sales of the iPhone 4S hit four million units on its opening weekend last month, significantly higher than the iPhone 4's debut of 1.7 million units last year.
Apple has moved quickly to expand iPhone 4S availability internationally, and the company has continued to experience tight supplies of the device at its own retail stores. But if the reports out of Taiwan are to be believed, at least a portion of that crunch may be due to lighter-than-anticipated production in the face of component shortages and a targeted cutback by Apple.
Update: RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky notes in a new research report that the suggestion of weaker-than-expected sales does not mesh with evidence of sell-through from carriers and other points-of-sale. He suggests that Apple may simply be pulling back slightly from an initial over-ordering of components, something the company has reportedly engaged in at times in order to gain the most favorable pricing possible.
Top Rated Comments
These people have consistently gotten things way wrong and have no credability! It's like they almost start bad rumors on PURPOSE!
FUHGEDDABOUIT!
i'm waiting for the iphone 7 myself
UBS: Rumors of iPhone order cutback are wrong
Reports out of China claim Apple is cutting back on iPhone 4S parts orders because consumer demand is dropping off, Jeff Gamet reports for The Mac Observer.
Those reports are wrong, according to UBS analyst Maynard Um, and his checks show iPhone 4S demand is still going strong, Gamet reports. We believe the Commercial Times report is without merit and believe iPhone 4S demand is not an issue, Mr. Um said. Our recent checks indicate that iPhone 4S is still selling out and experiencing 1-2 week waits for online orders with demand also driven by accelerated carrier/country launches.
Gamet reports, He added that parts suppliers have very recently indicated strength into [the calendar fourth quarter], which would be counter to weakening demand.
And here is a the latest news article from Digitimes:
Amazon increases Kindle Fire orders
Yenting Chen and Rebecca Kuo, Taipei; Joseph Tsai, DIGITIMES [Thursday 10 November 2011]
Amazon has recently increased its Kindle Fire orders to more than five million units before the end of 2011 as pre-orders for the machine remain strong, according to sources from upstream component suppliers.
Amazon already raised its order volume once in the middle of the third quarter, up from 3.5 million units originally to four million units.
Since the company estimates that demand for Kindle Fire will become even stronger at the end of 2011, Amazon has further increased its orders. Amazon's upstream partners including Wintek, Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT), LG Display, Ilitek, Quanta Computer, Aces Connectors and Wah Hong Industrial will all benefit from the short-term orders.
I really enjoy my Apple products, but this one is just a phone :)