Apple supposedly trimming iPhone shipments

Despite talk of Apple having aggressive iPhone production plans, it and others might be throttling back overall orders based on economic worries. Chipset producers in Taiwan rumored late Thursday that both Apple and HTC were paring back orders for the summer. Apple in particular was also supposedly reducing parts for iPhones in late summer, Digitimes added.

It's not evident whether the Apple orders are for the iPhone 5 or for the existing model. If the iPhone 4, it could have little to do with the economy and may be a switch in production as it ramps down the existing model and scales up the new model.

HTC's, however, would be more broadly based and by a wide margin. Having originally targeted 70 million phones in 2011, it was now reportedly reducing that to 50 million to 60 million. The estimate would be an unusually sharp drop and would be conservative even with the economy a factor.

Remarks from just last week had iPhone 5 shipments going up much more than iPhone 4 shipments were going down. The earlier claims cast doubt on the likelihood that Apple, or HTC, would have a quick change of heart about performance. One or both rumors could be in accurate, or else not providing the full picture of what was happening.

By Electronista Staff