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WSJ, Nikkei: Weak demand forces Apple to cut iPhone 5 component orders in half

Published Jan 14th, 2013 7:40AM EST
iPhone 5 Demand 2013

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Still wondering why Apple (AAPL) is reportedly developing a cheaper iPhone? A number of industry analysts have theorized for months that the high-end smartphone market will face a difficult year in 2013, and new reports from both The Wall Street Journal and Nikkei on Monday morning suggest Apple is already feeling the crunch. Nikkei first reported the rumor, claiming that Apple cut iPhone 5 display orders in half last month in anticipation of a much slower March quarter than it had previously expected. The Journal then followed with a similar claim, citing multiple unnamed sources of its own. Both reports state that Apple has also trimmed component orders beyond just display panels. Apple shares are down more than 3.75% in pre-market trading on the reports.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.