“Seeing that demand for the iPhone 6 Plus is much stronger than expected, Apple has already adjusted its supply ratio for the two new smartphones, according to sources from the upstream supply chain,” Ninelu Tu and Joseph Tsai report for DigiTimes. “”
“The sources pointed out that the iPhone 6’s shipments in the second half are expected to be 3-4 million units lower than the original expectation, as the supply chain gradually shifts some of its iPhone 6 capacity for production of the iPhone 6 Plus,” Tu and Tsai report. “But most component suppliers’ current inventories are not sufficient for extra iPhone 6 Plus orders, and device manufacturers also do not have sufficient production lines for related assembly. Therefore, the retail channel may need to wait a while before seeing a signifciant increase in iPhone 6 Plus supply, the sources noted.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As we saw with the 5s vs. the 5c, people want Apple’s flagship iPhone. Except for an ingrained penchant towards iPhones with small displays, we’re unsure why Apple seems to have, until now, significantly underestimated the strong demand for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.
Related articles:
Apple posts new how-to guide: Switching from Android phone to iPhone – September 16, 2014
Open thread: Does iPhone 6 Plus kill iPad mini, iPad Air sales? – October 6, 2014
Apple iPhone 6 Plus absolutely destroys anemic Samsung Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 4 in graphics performance – October 6, 2014
AnandTech reviews Apple’s 64-bit iPhone 6 Plus: ‘Definitely a great phone’ – September 30, 2014
Re/code reviews Apple’s 64-bit iPhone 6 Plus: ‘A statement phone,’ not a ‘plastic toy’ – September 17, 2014
The Telegraph reviews Apple’s 64-bit iPhone 6 Plus: ‘It’s peerless’ – September 17, 2014
I’m a little surprised. But not disappointed.
I wonder if one factor is that the “regular” iPhone 6 is already a major step up in size from the 5 and 5s. I have spent a lot of time hefting all of the current models at the Apple Store, and I seriously doubt that I could use either of the new models one-handed. I have small hands and my thumb doesn’t reach the upper left corner of even the 4.7″ screen.
That is a significant issue for me because I fairly frequently use my iPhone when my other hand is busy (example: phone rings while I am walking my dogs and I need to check something while I am on the line and holding their leashes). If I am going to have to use both hands anyway, I might as well spend the extra $100 to go all the way to 5.5″ for readability, battery life, and the better camera.
Alternatively, I can stick with my iPhone 5 and hope that Apple someday provides the option of a 4″ screen with current features. Either way, the lack of that option has turned me from an absolutely certain iPhone 6 customer into a maybe. It has also turned me from an unlikely iPhone 6 Plus customer into a possible. I wonder if there are other people in the same situation.
Can’t find a Plus at any of 6 local Apple Stores since launch. Hugely frustrating.
I stood in line like the rest on Sept. 19th, launch day. I had my hands on a 6. A nice phone that I could have been enjoying to this day. But I wanted a 6+ and thus left the store empty handed as there was none to be had. I check http://www.istocknow.com/live/ daily but the 6+ is as elusive as Bigfoot or the Lock Ness monster. Glad Apple is taking action to correct.
It’s important to remember that the original ratio was 75% iPhone 6 to 25% 6 plus. So even a 5% shift in the plus favor is a huge amount of components..
So Tim Cook was not only late to the big phone party, he underestimated the demand for the big phone.
But he was on time for the gay parade.
I probably would have underestimated demand, too since I’m still completely baffled at why people want to walk around with a phone that big. It’s completely counter-intuive, actually. For decades, we’ve wanted smaller, lighter, more portable, less-intrusive devices, yet this new trend is completely ass-backwards.
I used to make fun of people how stupid people looked with their comically-large Galaxy Notes, and now I’m going to have to make fun of people and their comically-large iPhone 6 Pluses.
But, hey – I’m sure you would have nailed down the supply mix to within a couple points.
Or, you could just stop being a dickhead and let people live their lives the way they please.
If my opinion on ridiculously large phones somehow makes me a dickhead, then posting to call me a dickhead and tell me to “let people live their lives the way they please” makes you giant douche. Just sayin’.
Oh, and could you please explain how me being amused or confounded at people choosing to carry around a giant phone, and posting about it, is in any way “not letting people live their lives the way they please?” How the hell am I stopping anybody from doing anything?
Not sure, but I believe the comment by bhj was aimed at the homophobic dickhead who calls himself ‘George’.
You got it all wrong! We’re comrades in the brotherhood of ridiculing people who differ in their decisions. Fun, right?
Not sure why you care about what other people use and are happy with and you feel the need to make fun of ’em. That’s counterintuitive to me.
I don’t really care. On the other hand, if I find something kind of amusing or stupid, it’s well within my rights to say so. Sorry if you don’t like it.
When I first saw people use giant phones in Asia several years ago, I had the same thought. I laughed inside but not in front of their faces. Then I saw so many people (including petite women) in Seoul with their Notes that it just became the norm to me and wasn’t funny anymore. And then I came to see that large displays are actually pretty nice to have – especially during commutes in a crowded subway train. I’m going to get the 6 Plus as I won’t have to put on my reading glasses everytime I pick it up. And I’ve always used a BT earpiece or headphones for calls anyway so, for me, it just makes a lot of sense. What I do make fun of is not the size of the phone they use but that they’re using *any* Fragmendroid crap phone. 🙂
I’d never make fun of the size of somebody’s phone – iOS or otherwise – to their face. I’m generally a pretty warm, friendly, person.
I fully realize there are some distinct differences in culture between North America, Asia, and other parts of the world. Some I understand and even like, while some I don’t. Giant phones are in the latter group.
I just remember the photo of the Dell engineer with a Dell Streak on his face, a polo shirt, and a gold chain. It looked so ridiculous, and somehow totally apropos. Same with Android and phones like the Note. I believe the iPhone 6 Plus is now in that same size category, and I still think it looks ridiculous, so part of me is disappointed that Apple jumped on that train.
I do understand the desire for a bigger screen for better visibility. As a 44-year old with contacts who will likely need reading glasses sooner than later, I’m acutely aware of substandard vision, though until the new iPhones with with iOS 8 and Display Zoom, the large-screen Fragmandroid phones never accomplished anything in that regard, so I always had to laugh when I hard people say they bought a big Android phone “because the screen was just too small on the iPhone and they just couldn’t see it anymore”. Great, you got a bigger-screen Android device with higher pixel density that’s even harder to read, but somehow the iPhone is worse.
I use headphones a lot also, but there are many times I take unexpected calls and don’t have headphones handy that I need to put my phone up to my face, and prefer not to have a “phablet” at that time.
Cheers!
I agree, Tim should have rushed out a bigscreen iPhone before it was ready. Instead he waited until Apple could deliver a light, thin 5.5″ iPhone with great battery life and a high res LCD panel. Stupid, stupid Tim.
The problem is others bought out light, thin 5.5″ phones with great battery lives and even better panels before Apple were anywhere near releasing the same. Apple did not wait to get it right, they were very late to the party.
Exactly George..
It appears Tim has his priorities in order.. Humanity and civil rights first, technology second.
Nice!
That’s the problem with only having a single release every year, when you’re the most popular brand. You can’t ramp up suppliers and production lines to meet demand for *both* models out the gate.
“we’re unsure why Apple seems to have, until now, significantly underestimated the strong demand for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus”
Come one now MDN, be fair. The majority of people posting online, here and elsewhere, were concerned 5.5″ would be too big. People couldn’t be sure which one they wanted until they held it in their hands in stores.
Why “we’re unsure why Apple seems to have, until now, significantly underestimated the strong demand for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.”?
The 6plus is harder to hold in your hand.
Depends how big your hands are. Having handled a 6+, I know it’s the phone I’ll be upgrading to from my iP5.
It fulfills all of my requirements, least of which involve making lots of phone-calls.
My disappointment is the decor of that guys room in the link you provided!
video was a bitch to watch.
camera 1, swap camera 2, back to 1, now 3, back to 1…
I always have a case on my iPhones, yeah the iPhone is beautiful.. but when I sell it a year later.. I WANT IT TO STILL LOOK BEAUTIFUL so I can get more money for it. Not scratched/dented/fucked up and get $50 for it. $20 in protection can mean a LOT more in the end.
a Simple case, removes all of the complaints in that video except the NFC one.
and I am 100% fine with that. I DO NOT WANT APPLE TO OPEN UP NFC TO EVERYONE. Google did…. Security went to shit. Pay will be safe, Opening NFC to everyone.. will create problems.
That guy has spent too much time around Google phones…
Ahh.. MDN deleted his comment..
Every version of 6 Plus was available in NYC when I was there last weekend. I couldn’t get the 64GB 6 that I wanted and had to settle for the 128GB. I have to say, I don’t like how big the 6 is. I preferred the size of my 5. Sorry.
Item number 6 here:
http://www.cultofmac.com/298875/top-6-iphone-6-disappointments/
is going to ding peoples joy of the iPhone 6/plus. When I first saw the design in the rumor mill for the iPhone 6 and saw where the power button was, I said “you have got to be kidding!” Having used an S3 for a couple of years (had to with t-modile, back when), I’ve been constantly frustrated with the power button at the opposite side of the volume buttons. The same frustration is now going to come to millions of Apple fans 🙁
Apple, put the power button back at the top…. PLEASE!
Jonathan Ives likes it so you’re stuck with it.
Am I missing something? So far every statement has been of the variety “iPhone 6 Plus demand greater than expected.” And yet that’s being taken as if it read “iPhone 6 Plus demand greater than iPhone 6.”
Apple hasn’t shifted their demand generation at all so I think we’re just experiencing noise from a different style of analyst.
Choices are good. And the pent-up demand, show that customers were waiting.
I held both models at my neighborhood Apple Store this past weekend and while I love the extra battery life and optical stabilization on the camera, I’ll be opting for the 64GB iPhone 6 when my contract expires next month. Pocketability was the deciding factor.
Can’t be long before the Anti Apple folks will be saying that Apple is cutting back on iPhone 6 orders so it must be a failure, as they did with the 5c.
This is different. The 5c was an overpriced compromise of a phone. That was very poor marketing on Apple’s part.
Nonsense, the 5C is still a huge seller. One of the top 5 internationally.
Well, I don’t know. iPhone 6 seems to be very scarce on the ground, too. I was looking for one today: iPhone 6, Silver, 64Gb. None to be had at any vendor in Toronto today. Apple has had none for weeks. I ordered on line. Delivery between Oct 27 and 30. :-{
Analist headine: Apple reduces output of iphone 6 due to unexpected reduced demand (stock temporarily tanks)…
Demographics. Aging. Eyes. Big screen good.
That’s what clinched it for me. It’ll be nice to not have to don my reading glasses everytime I pick up the phone. It’s why I stuck with the 4S through the 5 and 5S cycles. I thought the 6’s 4.7″ would be good enough but once I held the 6 Plus in my hand and looked at its gorgeous display on several different occasions, there was no doubt in my mind that Plus is the way to go.
I feel lucky that I placed my order for an unlocked GSM 128GB Gray iP6Plus the morning of preorder day September 12. My phone is now on a UPS jet in Korea for early delivery to me Friday morning October 10. Used UPS My Choice to arrange to pick it up at our local UPS Depot at 9am. Just in time for my new iOS 8 class (I teach seniors) Friday afternoon. Whoot! 😃
The 6 Plus also makes the Apple Watch much more enticing. I’m already thinking that it will be a great complementary device so I don’t have to whip out the Plus from the holster everytime it rings or buzzes.
I got a 6 … I am absolutely in love with this phone.. To me the best iphone ever.
I contemplated long before choosing.. …… The 6+ screen is fantastic and it did not feel gigantic .. But after going back and forth between them fior some time at the store … spread between several days..
I decided that for me the sweet spot was the 6.
My wife loves the 6+ though. Thats what she plans to get.
Most my friends feel 6+ is a bit big for them.
MDN asks: Why did Apple “significantly underestimate the strong demand for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus”? Because Apple has blind spots and they allegedly don’t do any customer focus group research, because they “just know” what is right for customers.
Thanks a lot for the information.