None of Apple’s new iPhones are selling as well as expected, report claims
Apple has cut production orders for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR amid lower-than-expected demand for the new handsets, according to a new report.
Citing “people familiar with the situation”, The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has now slashed production orders for the XR twice. The handset was unveiled in September but only started to hit the market on October 26 − that’s less than a month ago.
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The company reportedly told its supply partners to scale back production of the XR in late October by “up to a third of the approximately 70 million units” it had originally asked them to assemble between September and February.
And Apple allegedly told “several” of its suppliers to cut iPhone XR production again last week.
The report adds that major iPhone component suppliers including Qorvo, Lumentum Holdings and Japan Display cut quarterly profit estimates last week due to a “reduction in previously placed orders from a large customer”.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard murmurs about lower-than-expected demand for the XR. We first got wind of this earlier this month, when Nikkei Asian Review reported that Apple had suspended plans to increase production of the handset.
Assuming the WSJ report is accurate, things appear to be even worse than previously thought.
We awarded the iPhone XR a score of 4.5/5 in our review, and hailed it as “the best all-round iPhone you can buy in 2018”, although this is partly because the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are so exorbitantly expensive, and partly because the iPhone X has been discontinued.
That said, it’s still somewhat surprising to learn that demand for the cheapest of Apple’s newest iPhones appears to be so weak.
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The entry-level (64GB) iPhone XR costs £749, while the 64GB XS costs £999 and the 64GB XS Max costs £1099. The 64GB iPhone 8, meanwhile, costs £599, with the 64GB iPhone 8 Plus costs £699.
Which of Apple’s current iPhone line-up appeals to you the most? Let us know on Twitter @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
