Apple Cutting Fourth Quarter iPhone Component Orders?
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.
Popular Stories
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
In his Powe...
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models.
"All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today.
"I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
