The move to cut production of the iPhone 14 Plus comes as the global smartphone market softens
Apple Inc is scaling back production of the iPhone 14 Plus within weeks of the start of shipments as it reevaluates demand for the mid-range model, Information reported on Tuesday (October 18th), citing two people involved in the company’s supply chain.
The Cupertino, California-based company has reportedly told at least one manufacturer in China to immediately stop making components for the iPhone 14 Plus.
The move comes as the global smartphone market softens, falling 9% year-on-year in the third quarter, according to data research firm Canalys, which expects weak demand over the next six to nine years. months.
The iPhone 14 Plus, part of the new lineup announced on September 7, is positioned as a cheaper alternative to its more expensive iPhone Pro models and began shipping to customers on October 7.
Last month, Apple dropped its plan to ramp up production of new iPhone models because it failed to meet an expected increase in demand, according to a Bloomberg News report.
The most breakable iPhones? How the iPhone 14 fared in drop tests
Allstate Protection Plans, formerly known as SquareTrade, conducted a series of robotic drop tests on Apple’s largest 14-series models: the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The company doesn’t damn it; Allstate offers phone protection plans that cover accidents, electrical and battery problems, and other product malfunctions and defects.
I wasn’t planning to buy a new iPhone this year; I was still sporting my iPhone XS Max until my toddler dropped it in the sink about a month ago. Once that phone died I decided to get the new iPhone 14 Pro Max model and hope it lasts as long as my previous one. So when I got the results from the latest drop tests on the iPhone 14, I was quite interested as a new owner.
How iPhone 14 fared in drop tests
Over the years, Apple has tried to balance sleek design with durability in its phones. The company switched from metal-back iPhones to glass backs in 2010 and then back to metal backs until another switch to glass in 2017.
Apple upgraded to covering its phones with a ceramic shield and aluminum or steel chassis a few years ago with the iPhone 12, in an effort to make them a little more resistant to cracks and scratches.
With its latest models, Apple has tried to find the best of both worlds: all models have ceramic shield panels on the front and back, but the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus have a flat aluminum side, which on the 14 is made of stainless steel. Pro and Pro Max.
iPhone 14 Plus
The iPhone 14 Plus was dropped from six feet, face down on the pavement, and ended up with a loose, broken glass from the front screen, with several cracks on one side and across the corner. This made it difficult to manipulate the phone in any way, as the loose glass was enough to potentially scratch your fingers.
Dropping it on its back on the pavement resulted in a raised glass on the back panel with a few cracks on one side as well as damage to the camera housing.
However, the iPhone 14 Plus had one shining moment: when it fell on its side from an outdoor cobblestone staircase, it only suffered minor scratches at the corners, leaving the front and back glass panels intact.