Apple keeping iPhone 5 cards 'extra close to the vest' in supply chain

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
As rumors of a later-than-usual iPhone launch for 2011 persist, a new report reveals that the notoriously secretive Apple is being even more careful than usual when dealing with overseas suppliers.



"Apple is keeping its iPhone 5 cards extra close to the vest on this launch to avoid a falloff in iPhone 4 demand ahead of a refresh, especially given the February launch of the CDMA iPhone 4 with Verizon," Analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities said in a note to investors on Friday. He believes that the iPhone 5 could still launch in June or July, as previous models have.



White noted that various rumors have pointed toward a launch later than June this year for the fifth-generation iPhone. One report from March alleged that Apple has not even begun ordering components for the anticipated "iPhone 5," and the device is slated to arrive in the company's 2012 fiscal year, which begins in late September.



And a third report alleged that Apple is working on a major revamp of iOS, its mobile operating system, for version 5.0. New features like cloud-based storage of music, photos and video are rumored to arrive in the update this fall, likely alongside new iPhone hardware.



But despite all of those reports, White isn't yet convinced that the iPhone 5 will be introduced later than its typical June or July timeframe.



"Although we do not have a smoking gun that definitively rules out a delayed autumn unveiling or one that supports a launch this summer, there is a pattern of activity in motion with the supply chain that makes us question a delayed launch," he said.



White also cited sources who indicated that iPad sales could reach up to 40 million units in calendar year 2011. And supply chain sources also indicated that disruption from the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan will actually end up benefitting Apple, as suppliers will "rush to support Apple at the expense of competitors."



The analyst already revealed earlier this week that Apple has been offering upfront cash payments to component suppliers in order to secure components in the wake of the disaster in Japan. Apple has apparently also been using a "three cover guarantee," referring to capacity, stock and price, to block out competitors and prevent them from building ample supply of devices.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 72
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    1st woot. And obviously... Close to the "vest"? WTF? Did he forget that the word "chest" exists?
  • Reply 2 of 72
    cvaldes1831cvaldes1831 Posts: 1,832member
    This makes more sense than the delayed fall release.



    Apple's suppliers (particularly those who provide materials and components for the touch panel display) do not have capacity to do a simultaneous launch of new iPhone and iPod models. We have repeatedly witnessed enormous supply constraints when the iPhone is launched, leading to a staggered worldwide launch that still only nets limited availability.



    Last year, the iPod touch was in short supply for the first few weeks as well (Apple sells two iPod touches for every three iPhones).



    Apple really cannot do a simultaneous iPhone/iPod/iPad launch given its current supply chain requirements and what its partners are able to produce.
  • Reply 3 of 72
    nofeernofeer Posts: 2,427member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    1st woot. And obviously... Close to the "vest"? WTF? Did he forget that the word "chest" exists?



    if you are a card player in the old west, you wore a vest , and kept your cards close to your vest meaning hidden, take a look at the movie tombstone, or other old west gambler scenes
  • Reply 4 of 72
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,953member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    1st woot.



    Please, no "first" posts.
  • Reply 5 of 72
    grubgrub Posts: 24member
    One wish:



    Multiple user accounts!





    We have 3 family members using our iPad and woudl like to have our stuff separate. Our daughter's silly games needn't be on my workspace. Email accounts, Facebook, etc. would all benefit.
  • Reply 6 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The analyst already revealed earlier this week that Apple has been offering upfront cash payments to component suppliers in order to secure components in the wake of the disaster in Japan. Apple has apparently also been using a "three cover guarantee," referring to capacity, stock and price, to block out competitors and prevent them from building ample supply of devices.



    Go Apple..! Crush them all..
  • Reply 7 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by grub View Post


    One wish:

    Multiple user accounts!





    if that is the ONLY new feature of iOS 5, i'd be happy.
  • Reply 8 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NOFEER View Post


    if you are a card player in the old west, you wore a vest , and kept your cards close to your vest meaning hidden, take a look at the movie tombstone, or other old west gambler scenes



    I didn't know that before..! Thank u for the information..
  • Reply 9 of 72
    roberteroberte Posts: 10member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by OllieWallieWhiskers View Post


    if that is the ONLY new feature of iOS 5, i'd be happy.



    Me too. Not so much for the iPhone as it's a personal item (connected to a phone number) but the iPad and iTouch should allow family members to share each with personal set ups for mail calenders etc.
  • Reply 10 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by grub View Post


    One wish:



    Multiple user accounts!





    We have 3 family members using our iPad and woudl like to have our stuff separate. Our daughter's silly games needn't be on my workspace. Email accounts, Facebook, etc. would all benefit.



    That will never happen, Steve Jobs would cry to know that you share an iPad instead of buy one for each of your family members..
  • Reply 11 of 72
    neilwneilw Posts: 77member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kilimanjaro View Post


    I didn't know that before..! Thank u for the information..



    I had only ever heard the "vest" version before, so I was puzzled at the initial comment. Googling around a bit suggests that both versions ("chest" and "vest") are common, but "vest" might be more popular in America. Interesting!



    Back on topic, this iPhone5 business is turning into one of the more interesting product updates in a while, at least as far as the rumor mill goes. Like some others, though, my interest is more on seeing what they're going to do with iOS 5. I agree that multiple users would be a great feature, though I imagine it will be challenging to implement in a very user-friendly Apple-esque way.
  • Reply 12 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by neilw View Post


    I had only ever heard the "vest" version before, so I was puzzled at the initial comment. Googling around a bit suggests that both versions ("chest" and "vest") are common, but "vest" might be more popular in America. Interesting!



    Back on topic, this iPhone5 business is turning into one of the more interesting product updates in a while, at least as far as the rumor mill goes. Like some others, though, my interest is more on seeing what they're going to do with iOS 5. I agree that multiple users would be a great feature, though I imagine it will be challenging to implement in a very user-friendly Apple-esque way.



    Aaah Google, can't hate it, can't live without it nowadays..



    It will make more sense for iPhone users to upgrade immediately (even though they've just bought Verizon's iPhone 4 recently) if Apple can put appealing hardware refresh into the next iPhone 5. Plus the name rhymes together: iPhone 5 with iOS 5



    Apple's PR will make a kill with such rhyming cathprhases..
  • Reply 13 of 72
    dagamer34dagamer34 Posts: 494member
    Launching a new phone and cloud service at the same time will set up a repeat of the iPhone 3G/MobileMe launch since we're likely to see a huge influx of Verizon customers who were smart enough to wait for the iPhone 5. Plus, as far as we know, the datacenter in NC hasn't officially started full operations yet.



    I'm sure they'll let out some coy remark during their quarterly report on April 20th (it'll also be interesting to see what they say about future quarter reports then too).
  • Reply 14 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by neilw View Post


    I agree that multiple users would be a great feature, though I imagine it will be challenging to implement in a very user-friendly Apple-esque way.



    Easy, front facing camera is activated when the phone is picked up (using the accelerometer), takes some pictures, uses FACES to determine who you are and displays your account.



    Like I said, "easy!"
  • Reply 15 of 72
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    So today's rumor is that nobody knows anything - yet they'll keep talking about it endlessly.



    Gee - just like yesterday's rumors.
  • Reply 16 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by grub View Post


    One wish:



    Multiple user accounts!





    I would settle with a variant. Profiles, So we can sync to more than one set of information.



    It is a never ending annoyance that i can't sync my work computer and home computer. We don't all use corporate exchange contact directories.



    One imagines that Apple would like us to be using a Mac at home and work, with their contacts systems.
  • Reply 17 of 72
    In my opinion, Apple has to be very careful here. They have a substantial lead and it is critical that they not drop the ball now. We've seen what happens when they dropped the ball in the past, and the competition came in to crush them into the ground. I think it's high time that it's Apple pulverizing the competition into the ground.



    I skip generations of Apple tech as a standard rule. It's also in response to those two year contracts AT&T has. I am using an iPhone 3GS right now and the graphics are choppy on a lot of games and transition menus. It's clearly at the edge of its capabilities. When iPhone 5 is released, I'll be upgrading to it. I prefer Apple keeping their upcoming products secret. I hate it when people release pictures of the product, specs of the product, or new functionality before it's been revealed by Steve. It's sort of like being told what a movie is like, and its ending, prior to walking into a theater, or being told what your presents are for your birthday before you open them. I guess I would just prefer to have Steve say, "Oh, there is one more thing?" and have people NOT know what that one more thing is already.
  • Reply 18 of 72
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JamesTheLesser View Post


    Easy, front facing camera is activated when the phone is picked up (using the accelerometer), takes some pictures, uses FACES to determine who you are and displays your account.



    Like I said, "easy!"



    This is the easy part. Then there are third party apps that will need to be updated to support multiple user accounts (database access, user information storage, account info.. etc). I find it interesting though that Apple still didn't announce iOS 5.0 to developers. It could be that most changes are related to OS and won't have that effect on apps and how they work, which makes sense since all the major needs were done already (multitasking, copy & paste..etc). Maybe iOS 5 will focus more on UI.
  • Reply 19 of 72
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    I assume I’m in the minority here but I’d very much like Apple to hold off on the releasing the iPhone 5 this Summer. I think it’s an increasingly difficult goal to try to release both new HW and a new OS at the same time.



    I think a tick-tock cadence Ã* la Intel would make for a more releases and help spread out demand, even if only slightly, for those that are waiting for either the newest OS or newest HW features. The iPad doesn’t seem to have been hurt by this method.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    1st woot. And obviously... Close to the "vest"? WTF? Did he forget that the word "chest" exists?



    When it comes to idioms I tend to side with the less possessive phrasing, thus I prefer vest as the definite article ‘the’ only refers to a thing. When you switch ‘chest’ it doesn’t sound natural unless you switch to a possessive adjective like ‘their' or ‘your’ as in “close to their chest.”
    Quote:

    The Corpus of Contemporary American English gives 89 hits for "close to (...) vest" and 36 for "close to (...) chest" when used synonymously. (There's 123 hits overall for chest, but the majority are for "she held the baby close to her chest" and other similar literal uses.)







    Quote:
    Originally Posted by grub View Post


    One wish:



    Multiple user accounts!





    We have 3 family members using our iPad and woudl like to have our stuff separate. Our daughter's silly games needn't be on my workspace. Email accounts, Facebook, etc. would all benefit.



    On wish:



    Magnetic underwear



    So my iPhone turns on and off as easily as my iPad with a Smart Cover.



    Runs to trademark Lodestone brand underwear then realizes what a crappy name that is.





    Seriously though, on the iPad multiple user accounts would be great. On all devices a guest account that I can dis/allow permissions to certain apps and features like Parental controls would be very welcome.



    PS: One oversight I’ve hated since Find My iPhone was introduced was that anyone with access to your phone could disable the service with a few clicks because the MobileMe account wasn’t lockable. Meaning, if you didn’t have a system passcode or someone access your device before it locked they could disable that service and use your device without first having to wipe it clean. I recently found a workaround. If you enable Restrictions (I.e.: Parental Controls) you can lock your accounts so even if they have access to your device they can’t disable the Find My iPhone service. I know it’s a narrow window of use, but the omission has always bothered me.
  • Reply 20 of 72
    neilmneilm Posts: 995member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Apple keeping iPhone 5 cards 'extra close to the vest' in supply chain



    Translation:



    Apple is tired of all those new product supply chain rumours spread by analyst eunuchs who claim to have a friend whose mother-in-law's hairdresser's second cousin used to work in a Chinese factory, and now they're cracking the whip on the secrecy issue.
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