According to well-connected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is likely to disappoint on its total number of iPhone shipments this year — with numbers set to fall below 200 million, compared with 232 million handsets last year.
Kuo predicts Apple’s total number of iPhone shipments will be between 85 million and 95 million handsets in the first half of 2016, while numbers will increase slightly to 115 million in the second half of the year. If true, these numbers — while massive by the standards of any other company — are likely to not measure up to Wall Street’s high expectations, which are for Apple to ship 210 million to 230 million iPhones in 2016.
Kuo puts his low estimates on a few factors, with the biggest one being that he claims the rumored dual-camera setup for iPhone 7 will be available for the larger 5.5-inch Plus model only, which could cost sales of the more popular 4.7-inch size. He also thinks a number of other smartphone rivals are racing to put out similar camera setups before Apple does, which will leave customers disappointed when Apple finally gets around to announcing its new iPhone.
Beyond this, Kuo thinks there’s a slowing demand for large-display handsets, and that the iPhone SE put off many customers by not boasting a new form factor.
We’ll have to wait to see if this is accurate, but Apple has been steeling industry watchers for the end of the iPhone’s meteoric, record-breaking sales increase each year. Supply chain sources, meanwhile, have suggested that Apple’s chip orders have been lower than expected so far this year.
Do you think Apple’s seen the end of massive iPhone growth? Leave your comments below.
Via: Apple Insider
