Apple Will Reduce iPhone 7 Production By 10% in Early 2017 Due to 'Sluggish' Sales

Apple plans to reduce production of the iPhone line by 10 percent beginning in the first quarter of 2017, according to supplier data collected by Nikkei. Apple is said to have experienced a similar situation thanks to accumulated inventory of the iPhone 6s late in 2015, which also caused it to lower output of that smartphone in Q1 2016.

The company attempted to prevent the same thing from happening again with the iPhone 7 by curbing production quantities on the 2016 smartphone, but even with that preemptive move Apple is again looking at a manufacturing downturn for its flagship iPhone line in the new year.

jetblackiphone
In the report, Nikkei cites "sluggish" global sales for the iPhone 7 as the main reason behind the move. Because of this, the production cuts are expected to be focused on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Apple will trim production of its iPhone family around 10% on the year in the first quarter of 2017, according to calculations by The Nikkei based on data from suppliers.

...the phones still have sold more sluggishly than expected. Information on production of the latest models and global sales suggests cuts in both the 7 and 7 Plus lines in the coming quarter.

Apple could have capitalized on Samsung's Galaxy Note7 problems earlier in the year, but according to a collection of analysts the iPhone 7 lacked "compelling" features and failed to garner interest in the new smartphone line. In September, Apple made the decision not to divulge the first weekend sales for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Throughout the year, a "doom and gloom" sentiment has followed the company ever since it reported its first revenue decline in thirteen years.

Later in 2017, Apple will launch the next-generation iPhone, which is currently rumored to come in three different sizes, one of which will include a flexible OLED display with a bezel-free design. Rumors are still conflicting, however, with a report from Mac Otakara suggesting that next year's iPhone could be an iterative update on the design of the iPhone 7 with beefed up internals.

Tag: Nikkei
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says These 7 U.S. States Plan to Offer iPhone Driver's Licenses

Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

New MacBook Pros Could Now Arrive in March

Sunday February 8, 2026 6:02 am PST by
New MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips could arrive as soon as Monday, March 2, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the release of new MacBook Pro models is tied to the release of macOS Tahoe 26.3. The launch is said to be slated for as early as the week of March 2. He added that the M4 Pro and M4 Max models on sale today...

Top Rated Comments

Since1987 Avatar
119 months ago
Headphone Jack. We tried to warn everyone that was a bridge too far. But you know.... THINNER !!!!
Score: 78 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maxwelltech Avatar
119 months ago
Well Apple, it may be a good idea to not use the same design for three years in a row.
Score: 68 Votes (Like | Disagree)
trekkie604 Avatar
119 months ago
not surprising. i'm returning mine today. first iPhone in 6 years I have done so. I hate the elimination of the headphone jack.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NT1440 Avatar
119 months ago
I love how every year orders go down in Q1, yet no one seems to bat an eye when it's claimed to be due to poor sales.

Maybe, and stay with me here guys, you don't need to produce as many phones a month as you do during the run up to the Holiday season??

I'd love to know how to get an analyst job, must be nice to be paid to just make claims regardless of the impact or veracity of them. I'd start with a piece on Butterball being in trouble because turkey sales mysteriously slowed down after November...for some unknowable reason. :rolleyes:
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BigDO Avatar
119 months ago
Love this. Exactly the message they need to curb Cook's arrogance and complete loss of touch with the customer base.

Hopefully more of this on the way with the hapless MBP line.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RedOrchestra Avatar
119 months ago
Can't even imagine the look on the faces of those that have held off purchasing the 2016 edition of the iPhone ONLY to find out that the 2017 edition is identical ... except the camera will be repositioned in order to sell the newest iteration of the Silicone Case.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)