Apple has moved to cut back iPhone 14 Plus orders with supply chain partners after unexpectedly sluggish sales less than two weeks after the model launched, reports DigiTimes.
According to the report, several supply chain makers and channel operators have confirmed that they received notification from Apple to cut iPhone 14 Plus production by around 40 percent. Apple is believed to be shifting production away from the non-Pro models to make more iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max devices, as suggested by increased component shipments.
Despite better iPhone 14 Plus sales in China compared to last year's iPhone 13 mini, shipments in other markets have been flat, which has caused Apple to adjust shipment ratios for the different iPhone 14 models. As a result, DigiTimes' sources indicated that total shipments of the iPhone 14 Plus will likely be revised downward to around 10 million units for 2022.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently said that Apple's product segmentation strategy for standard models has failed this year, following worse iPhone 14 Plus pre-order results than the third-generation iPhone SE and the iPhone 13 mini. Apple is believed to have shelved plans to increase production of both the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in response.
Despite the drop in orders, related shipment ratio adjustments will mean that total iPhone 14 series shipments in 2022 will likely maintain at 85-90 million units, according to today's report.
