iPhone 5 Sales Expected To Top 45 Million Units In Q4 As Production Rates Improve [Rumor]

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Productions rates for the iPhone 5 are improving, supply sources claim, just in time for the handset to make its debut in more than 50 additional markets throughout December. Now that Apple has caught up with demand, the handset’s shipping delay has been reduced from four weeks to just 2-4 business days. Suppliers now expect the Cupertino company to sell 45 million iPhone 5 units during the fourth quarter alone.

DigiTimes cites sources within Apple’s supply chain who report that production rates for the Cupertino company’s latest smartphone are continuing to improve. As such, they’ve increased their estimated sales figure by 5 million units. Not only is that good news for Apple, but it’s great news for its suppliers, too.

“Since some chipset suppliers have revealed that their sales are likely to reach the ceilings of their fourth-quarter guidance, there should be no problem for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to also reach its sales target of NT$131 billion (US$4.5 billion) set for the quarter,” DigiTimes reports.

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Siliconware Precision Industries, Adentec, and STATS ChipPAC are also likely to see better than expected fourth quarter results.

The surge may not last long, however. As we make our way into the new year, slow season kicks in, and the first quarter of 2013 could see demand in Apple parts and components plunging by more than 20%.

Source: DigiTimes

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