There have been rumors that Apple has lowered its iPhone 12 shipping targets, but according to Chinese media reports, Apple suppliers have not received such notifications.
According to China Securities Journal, three Chinese iPhone supply chain companies have said that Apple has not lowered its iPhone 12 shipping target guidelines, nor have they received any notification that Apple has lowered its iPhone 12 shipping target.
One reason for these rumors to occur is that Tianfeng International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a report the US government's blocking of WeChat, which has the biggest impact on iPhones among Apple hardware products, may force Apple to remove WeChat from the App Store.
Ming-Chi Kuo: US WeChat ban could cause iPhone shipments to fall by up to 30%
In Kuo's view, the most pessimistic scenario for a US ban on WeChat is that Apple will have to remove WeChat from its global App Store, while the optimistic scenario is that Apple will only remove WeChat from its US App Store.
The pessimistic estimate is a 25-30 percent drop in iPhone shipments and a 15-25 percent drop in annual shipments of other Apple hardware devices, including AirPods, iPads, Apple Watch and Macs, Kuo predicts.
If the ban is implemented and Apple doesn't have a solution to its woes, Chinese consumers may turn to other phone makers, such as Huawei.
It's worth noting that in response to the upcoming release of Apple's new iPhones, Foxconn's Zhengzhou main production area is heavily looking for candidates, Tencent Tech said, citing industry chain sources.
Foxconn begins hiring spree as iPhone 12 enters mass production season
The Zhengzhou campus has launched a partner program, with eligible employees who internally referred applicants be able to receive bonuses of up to RMB 9,000, the report said.