Apple is just a few short weeks away from announcing the iPhone 13. Leading up to its unveiling, a new report indicates the company is expecting significantly more sales for this year’s iPhone than 2020’s iPhone 12.
At this point in July 2021, just about every detail of the iPhone 13 has been revealed in leaks and rumors. Like the iPhone 12 series, there will be four entries in the iPhone 13 family — including the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. All four phones will feature smaller notches than past models, and for the Pro variants, Apple is finally upgrading their displays to a 120Hz refresh rate (similar to the iPad Pro). Other rumors suggest there will be an A15 Bionic processor for faster performance, improved camera auto-focus across the board, and a nearly identical design compared to the iPhone 12.
Following all of that, reputable Apple leaker Mark Gurman has now shed light on an iPhone 13 detail that’s remained mostly a secret — expected sales. In a recent Bloomberg report, Gurman says, “Apple Inc. has asked suppliers to build as many as 90 million next-generation iPhones this year, a sharp increase from its 2020 iPhone shipments.” That’s a heap of iPhones Apple is expecting to sell, and if true, it means there should be substantially more demand than one of 2021’s most popular Android phones. In January, when the Galaxy S21 series came out, Samsung reportedly shipped just 26 million handsets across the S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra.
How iPhone 13 Production Numbers Compare To iPhone 12
Here’s the real question, though — how do these reported iPhone 13 production numbers compare to the iPhone 12? When Gurman says that 90 million number is a “sharp increase” over the iPhone 12, he isn’t kidding. As the report continues, “[Apple] has maintained a consistent level in recent years of roughly 75 million units for the initial run from a device’s launch through the end of the year.” That’s an increase of nearly 20 percent year-over-year, which is no small feat in a climate where the smartphone market has slowed down compared to years past.
As for why Apple is planning such higher production for the iPhone 13, there are a couple of possibilities. Due to the effects of COVID-19 in 2020, a lot of people across the world had to limit spending and be tighter with their money. Now that some parts of the world are quickly returning to a level of normalcy, there’s bound to be a lot of pent-up desire to go out and spend money on something like a new iPhone. It’s also possible that this year’s upgrades for the iPhone 13 will be more appealing than the iPhone 12. A 120Hz refresh rate has been something many fans have been asking Apple to implement for years. If that finally comes to the 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max like it’s been rumored, that could be reason enough for some folks to spend their cash.
Although planned shipments aren’t equal to actual sales, this report suggests that Apple has a lot of confidence in the iPhone 13 being a commercial hit — even in light of the iPhone mini being a complete failure. Considering even more substantial upgrades are expected for the iPhone 14, one can only imagine what 2022 iPhone shipments will look like next year.
