Apple posted report iPhone gross sales final vacation season, however the top of this yr is trying much less cheerful. The firm reportedly informed part suppliers that demand for the iPhone 13 lineup has softened, in accordance with Bloomberg, which cited “people familiar with the matter.”

Apple now not discloses what number of iPhones it sells every quarter, however Bloomberg reported in October that the tech large reduce manufacturing by 10 million models as a result of ongoing chip scarcity. Apple CEO Tim Cook stated the corporate’s This fall earnings have been down $6 billion as a result of scarcity and the affect of covid-19 on manufacturing.

Apple was reportedly hoping to make up for misplaced floor subsequent yr when provide improved, however the alternative to take action could be vanishing as a result of sinking demand. Now the corporate could be pressured to inform suppliers that the gross sales it was anticipating for 2022 may fall quick.

Whether this implies provide can catch as much as demand stays to be seen. Demand could proceed to outpace provide, during which case iPhone 13 availability would stay elusive regardless of fewer folks clamoring to get their fingers on Apple’s newest telephones.

Regardless, Apple’s provide and demand curves are actually each trending within the mistaken course. And the place provide shortages have predicted finish dates–manufacturing will ultimately return to regular (2023 is the closest we now have to a consensus)–drops in demand, particularly across the vacation season, current a extra advanced situation.

This isn’t the primary time Apple has discovered itself on this place, having rebounded from slowing development solely to set report gross sales. Even in the course of the pandemic, Apple shattered earlier data, posting $89.6 billion for the March 2021 quarter on the again of a 66% improve in iPhone gross sales (which spiked to $47.9 billion).

We can solely postulate what’s inflicting demand for iPhones to say no but it surely’s secure to say the chip scarcity, and the ensuing trouble of shopping for merchandise, is a kind of causes. The iPhone 13 loved a profitable launch with Apple fanatics forming prolonged strains at bodily shops and queuing as much as purchase on-line. But whereas the brand new gadgets are wonderful, they aren’t a lot totally different from the earlier fashions. This drop in demand could partially be brought on by folks hanging onto their gadgets for longer whereas they look forward to the subsequent huge characteristic (like USB-C, proper Apple?!).

Whatever the case, we count on Apple to rebound as soon as the chip provide is sorted out. And even when iPhone demand continues to gradual, Apple is already planning its successor.