Apple is cutting production of the iPhone 12 mini in the first half of this year, Nikkei Asia reports. Planned production of the smallest iPhone 12 model has reportedly been reduced by 70 percent or more in the first half of this year, making up the majority of a 20 percent cut in total iPhone 12 production. Some suppliers have been asked to temporarily stop producing iPhone 12 mini-specific components, while other parts are being reallocated to the Pro and Pro Max, Nikkei reports.
Last December, Apple told suppliers it wanted to be ready to ship as many as 96 million units in the first half of 2021. that total included the iPhone 12 line as well as iPhone 11 and SE models. It has now adjusted production goals to about 75 million units.
“Demand for the first half of 2021 is not as high as people were thinking at the end of last year,” said one of the insiders.
It’s not all bad news, though. Seventy-five million units is still a bit higher than what Apple shipped in H1 2020. Furthermore, it has not altered its plans to produce 230 million units in 2021, an 11-percent increase over last year’s numbers.
Nikkei also notes that in the face of pandemic-related shortages, Apple aggressively pursued component acquisition. Initial estimates were probably slightly padded in an attempt to procure more hard-to-get parts
