14 DAY TRIAL // Facing an unforeseen situation Apple today cut some of its component orders for the iPhone 5, responding to weaker-than-expected demand for its newest smartphone model.
Whether it’s the physical design, the scuffability, or the elongated display of the iPhone 5, or the impending launch of a new version in summer, people are no longer craving Apple’s newest handset.
As things are now cooling off on the iPhone front, Apple itself has made a move to address the situation.
According to the Wall Street Journal (citing people familiar with the matter), the Cupertino giant has cut orders for multiple iPhone 5 components, including screens, and other devices that make the handset tick.
One of the people told the finance newspaper that screen orders for the January-March quarter had dropped to about half of what Apple had previously estimated to grab.
It seems only a month ago Apple had finally achieved a steady supply of component orders and manufacturing yields of the iPhone 5.
However, it may be that there are fewer newcomers this time around. The Maps fiasco clearly didn’t help one bit, and the same can be said about the early mockery regarding the iPhone 5’s elongated (but not wider) display.
The physique of the iPhone 5 didn’t exactly blow anyone’s head off their shoulders either.
There are a lot of voices in the tech blogosphere which seem to agree that the device simply doesn’t have that “wow” factor to earn it the iPhone 5 moniker.
Rumor has it that Apple’s annual developer conference (WWDC) will witness the unveiling of the iPhone 5S. In fall 2013, Apple is rumored to launch the iPhone 6.
Analysts even tossed around a rumor about a cheaper version of the handset as Apple’s response to an increasingly competitive marketplace.
However, comments made by Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Product Marketing seemed to have downplayed the speculation.