Apple Lifts iPhone Duo Shipment Target to 14 Million
Supply chain sources indicate the tech giant has increased its production goals for its first folding handset due to initial order volumes.
By Wei Zhang ·
Apple is raising its first-year shipment projection for the iPhone Duo to 14 million units, a significant increase from an earlier target of 9.7 million. This adjustment, reported by supply chain sources cited by DigiTimes, suggests the company is ramping up production to meet demand for its new folding device.
This increase in shipment targets follows Apple's description of pre-order demand as “extraordinary.” The company's move to boost production appears to be a direct response to the immediate surge in orders, which caused delivery estimates to slip into late January within minutes of the pre-order window opening.
The reported jump in production targets is a direct attempt to close the gap between supply and demand that was evident at the start of sales. Apple had limited purchases to two units per customer in an effort to combat scalping, while the initial inability to fulfill orders immediately prompted speculation about supply constraints.
The company's characterization of the initial demand as “extraordinary” was met with some skepticism, as it is a phrase the company frequently uses for new iPhone launches. However, the subsequent increase in shipment targets provides a concrete metric that points toward sustained consumer interest rather than a temporary spike.
Initial reports of delivery dates slipping to late January were interpreted by some as a sign of production issues. The company later adjusted some estimated shipping dates for customers to earlier in January, a development that, combined with the new shipment target, suggests a response to demand rather than a supply-side shortfall.
Despite the strong sales figures, early adopters face challenges with third-party applications that are not yet optimized for the new device's form factor. The company has acknowledged the issue and stated that the situation is improving as developers release updates.
Reviews based on the first week of usage have highlighted app support as a key concern. Another point of criticism raised was the device's reliance on Touch ID for security, a departure from the Face ID technology used on other recent models.
In response to this feedback, reports indicate that Apple is already testing prototypes of a successor device, the iPhone Duo 2, which would incorporate Face ID. This suggests the company may be planning a hardware revision to address concerns about the current model's biometric system.
Source: 9to5Mac
