Apple Reportedly Cutting iPhone SE Production Just Weeks After Launch Due to 'Weaker-Than-Expected' Demand

Apple is reportedly cutting production for the new third-generation iPhone SE just weeks after launch due to uncertainty caused by current global conflict and alleged low demand, according to a report from Nikkei Asia citing unnamed sources.

iPhone SE 3 stacked
According to the report, Apple has informed suppliers to cut back on production of the ‌iPhone‌ SE for this quarter by as much as two to three million units, citing "weaker-than-expected demand."

Unlike the cut in ‌iPhone‌ SE production caused partly by low demand, Apple is also cutting down on the production of the ‌iPhone‌ 13 series, but sources familiar with the matter told Nikkei Asia this cutback is due to seasonal demand change. Per the report, Apple is also cutting the production of AirPods but fails to specify which model or models.

Coinciding with the report, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a tweet that he is cutting estimates on shipments of the new ‌iPhone‌ SE from 25 to 30 million to around 15 to 20 million units for 2022. Kuo said the lower shipments were a result of low demand.


Apple released the new ‌iPhone‌ SE earlier this month with the same 4.7-inch form factor as the previous model but with the addition of 5G. The new ‌iPhone‌ SE is the only ‌iPhone‌ in the lineup that still features a physical Home Button and Touch ID but now benefits from the faster and more energy-efficient A15 Bionic chip. The ‌iPhone‌ SE starts at $429 with 64GB of storage.

See our roundup to learn everything you need to about Apple's latest ‌iPhone‌.

Update: Two Apple suppliers responsible for AirPods have refuted Nikkei Asia's report that production has been cut, according to posts shared on Twitter by analyst Ming-Chu Kuo.

Tag: Nikkei
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

Tuesday April 1, 2025 10:34 am PDT by
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software,...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4 With Mail Categorization and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. With...

Top Rated Comments

Fried_Gold Avatar
40 months ago
Surprise surprise not many people want an iPhone 8 design in 2022.
Score: 96 Votes (Like | Disagree)
berrymetal Avatar
40 months ago
I get the whole "I just need a smaller iPhone" crowd, but I think it's foolish on Apple to count on that small audience without at least having a design refresh. Totally expected
Score: 72 Votes (Like | Disagree)
123 Avatar
40 months ago
Maybe that ten year old design doesn't cut it anymore when every cheap China device looks way more modern and costs a fraction of the price.
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DragonSky Avatar
40 months ago
Upgraded from a SE1 to the new SE. Love the thing. Good battery life. Useful size and the camera is pretty good. Ok the cost was a little higher than I would like but it’s doing what I need. Happy.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Danfango Avatar
40 months ago
Market insight failure.

If you want a crap phone, you probably don't want that crap phone because it's too expensive. If you wan't a good phone, that's not it. If you want an Apple crap phone, you're probably just going to buy a 13 on contract and pay monthly and not have a crap phone.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jeffpeng Avatar
40 months ago

Surprise surprise not many people want an iPhone 8 design in 2022.
I do. And my SE 2020 is still fine. ?

I guess the actual problem is that most people this phone is for already have the SE2020. And there is no good reason to upgrade now again. Plus those folks, me included, keep the damn thing until it can’t do something important anymore or just breaks. Not gonna happen in 2 years. That why I was kinda surprised they even bothered to upgrade it. Especially since the A13 is 7nm, and that is dirt cheap as of now - so cheap they put it in a display just to drive the webcam and speakers.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)