Apple may be reducing their manufacturing orders for the iPhone 4 in preparation for the iPhone 5 release, according to Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes. The report indicates that circuit board (PCB) suppliers are seeing a decrease in order quantity from Apple.
Typically these sorts of occurrences act as tell-tale signs that manufacturing is winding down for a currently-produced product, likely ahead of a new product introduction. The report suggests that the cut very likely involves the iPhone 4, because iPad shipments are expected to grow significantly rather than decrease.
The manufacturers of these PCBs have reportedly already been disappointed at the volume of Apple orders in the second quarter, and the numbers don’t appear as if they’re likely to rebound in June.
Apple typically starts their manufacturing quite early, so it’s quite likely that this signifies that Apple is about to begin production on the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5, likely for a release in August or September, as has been rumored.
Of course, nothing is certain, and at this point, all claims are speculative. Still, however, It seems like this is more than a mere coincidence.
