Apple has asked suppliers to build as many as 90 million next-gen “iPhone 13” models this year, a sharp increase from its 2020 iPhone shipments, Bloomberg News reports, citing “people with knowledge of the matter.” Apple shares jumped to a record.
Debby Wu and Mark Gurman for Bloomberg News:
The Cupertino, California-based tech giant has maintained a consistent level in recent years of roughly 75 million units for the initial run from a device’s launch through the end of the year. The upgraded forecast for 2021 would suggest the company anticipates its first iPhone launch since the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines will unlock additional demand. The next iPhones will be Apple’s second with 5G, a key enticement pushing users to upgrade.
Apple’s shares rose as much as 2.5% Wednesday to $149.22. The stock is up about 20% from a June low.
Apple is planning updates to all of the current models, spanning the 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch regular versions and the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Pro models. The phones, codenamed D16, D17, D63, and D64, are all expected to be announced in September, earlier than last year’s October introduction partly thanks to the supply chain recovering.
At least one of the new versions will have an LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) display capable of alternating its refresh rate based on the content being shown. Apple has used this technology in the Apple Watch for several years, allowing the screen to be slower in certain situations — such as the Always On mode — to extend battery life.
MacDailyNews Take: The multi-year 5G iPhone super cycle gathers speed!