Drop in Wintek sales may hint at next-gen iPhone design
updated 03:47 pm EDT, Tue July 3, 2012
Device expected to use thinner display
A sharp fall in Wintek's June sales could signal that the company has lost out on orders for next-generation Apple products, specifically a new iPhone, says Topeka Capital Markets' Brian White. The analyst notes that on average, Wintek's June sales have grown 1 percent month-over-month. This year, though, they plummeted 33.6 percent, making for the company's worst month-to-month crash since late 2008.
Although the figure could theoretically mean a drop in Apple device sales, White contends that Wintek may be getting brushed aside for parts from other companies, specifically in-cell touch panels. Current iOS devices use glass-on-glass touchscreens produced by Wintek and TPK; Apple is rumored to be switching to in-cell panels made by Sharp and and Toshiba, though, which should allow for thinner, unified display assemblies. Wintek doesn't offer any in-cell options.
If Apple is switching technologies, the results will probably be seen this fall, when a new iPhone is widely expected to debut.
White estimates that at least until recently, Wintek pulled in over 50 percent of its sales from Apple. The latter is a dominant customer amongst Asian suppliers, and its orders are known to regularly sway the fortunes of the industry.
