Apple will make 80 million iPhone 6 handsets by the end of the year

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iphone6plus
Apple's biggest ever iPhone is set to receive its biggest ever order. Photo: Apple

According to sources in the Taiwan-based iPhone supply chain, Apple is preparing the parts and components to manufacture up to 80 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices before the end of 2014.

Barring unexpected component shortages or low yield rates (thought to have been responsible for Apple abandoning its use of sapphire for the iPhone 6-series devices), sources estimated that shipments of the iPhone 6 family will reach 10 million units by the end of September, with the remaining units shipping over the subsequent three months.

While a certifiably huge number if true, this isn’t out of line with what analysts are expecting. Taiwan’s Topology Research Institute has previously predicted that the iPhone 6 will sell around 80 million units by the end of this year.

Before Tuesday’s keynote, it had already been reported that Apple had placed an “unprecedented” order for its new handsets — adding up to 2x the order size placed for the iPhone 5. Apple shipped approximately 60 million iPhone 5 units in 2013.

Digitimes‘ report additionally provides a breakdown of which suppliers are doing what in the iPhone 6 supply chain: noting that TSMC is providing the A8 processor, Catcher Technology and Foxconn Technology are making the cases, Largan Precision and Genius Electronic Optical are building the camera modules, Foxconn Electronics and Pegatron are handling assembly, Simplo Technology is making the battery, and Delta Electronics is in charge of power supply.

PCB makers Compeq manufacturing, Unimicron Technology, Zhen Ding Technology Holdings, Flexium Interconnect, and IC packaging/testing companies Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE), King Yuan Electronics (KYEC) and Ardentec are also in the supply chain.

Buoyed by Apple orders, many of Apple’s suppliers have already announced record-breaking revenues in recent months.

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