WSJ, Nikkei: Weak demand forces Apple to cut iPhone 5 component orders in half

Still wondering why Apple (AAPL) is reportedly developing a cheaper iPhone? A number of industry analysts have theorized for months that the high-end smartphone market will face a difficult year in 2013, and new reports from both The Wall Street Journal and Nikkei on Monday morning suggest Apple is already feeling the crunch. Nikkei first reported the rumor, claiming that Apple cut iPhone 5 display orders in half last month in anticipation of a much slower March quarter than it had previously expected. The Journal then followed with a similar claim, citing multiple unnamed sources of its own. Both reports state that Apple has also trimmed component orders beyond just display panels. Apple shares are down more than 3.75% in pre-market trading on the reports.

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This article was originally published on BGR.com