According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple cut its orders for iPhone 5 components due to lower-than-expected demand for the flagship handset. Sources for the Wall Street Journal claim Apple notified suppliers last month that it would need about half the components that it had previously planned to order. The Cupertino company slashed orders for a variety of components and not just displays, claims one of the sources.
The reason for this reduction are varied and include the most obvious — Apple iPhone 5 sales are slowing. It’s also possible that iPhone 5 production was better than expected, and the company has an overabundance of handsets. Business Insider also points to recent rumors that suggest Apple may release a new iPhone in the early summer. If Apple is shifting its iPhone launch cycle from September to June, then the company would start to slow iPhone production now.
Though we won’t know for sure whether Apple is launching a new phone this June, we will find out about iPhone 5 sales later this month when Apple announces its quarterly earnings for the last three months of 2012.
[Via Business Insider and Wall Street Journal]