Apple raises parts and component orders for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus by 20% to 30% for Q4

According to touch panel makers out of Taiwan, Apple is increasing fourth quarter orders for parts and components related to the Apple iPhone 7 and Apple iPhone 7 Plus. Based on the volume of these orders, Apple will be producing 20% to 30% more units than previously expected of its latest iPhone models during the fourth quarter.

Despite this increase, Apple is expected to fall shy of the 85 million-90 million units of the Apple iPhone 6s and Apple iPhone 6s Plus that were shipped during the second half of last year. Now, Apple is expected to deliver 80 million to 84-million units of the new iPhone models during the last two quarters of this year.

Apple has been splitting touch panel orders between TPK Holding and General Interface Solution (GIS). Recently, Apple has started giving GIS some additional business, which makes sense since it is owned by contract manufacturer Foxconn. Thanks to Apple's decision to increase orders for its new models, and the additional business it is throwing at GIS, sources expect the touch panel manufacturer to have a very strong fourth quarter.

Previously, we heard that Apple had spoken with its suppliers, hoping to churn out as many as 100 million units of the new models this year. Suppliers had previously built enough parts for Apple to deliver 80 million units. Considering the problems that Samsung has had with the Galaxy Note 7 (including the possibility that a unit of the new "safe" model exploded the other day), and some of the new features on the iPhone such as IP67 certification, stereo speakers and a dual-camera setup on the back of the iPhone 7 Plus, Apple just might need all of the additional units it is building.

Not everyone is so optimistic. GfK, a German research firm, investigated sales channels and discovered that sales of the new iPhone models during the opening launch weekend were down 25% on a year-over-year basis.

source: Digitimes