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KGI: iPhone 6s Plus constraints due to display production issues

While the 4.7-inch iPhone 6s on some U.S. carriers is still available for delivery on the September 25th launch date, nearly all of the larger, 5.5-inch iPhone 6s Plus models are now scheduled to deliver in 3-4 weeks for new orders. According to KGI Securities, this is not entirely due to high demand for the largest iPhone model. According to a new note from the firm, the constraints are actually due to supply problems with the 6s Plus’s backlight hardware:

We believe Radiant is receiving rush orders, because Minebea is having production issues. This tells us that Radiant is more skilled at producing backlight module for 6S Plus given its accumulated abundant experience supplying the backlight module for iPad mini (a similar size to 6S Plus). To accelerate availability, we believe Apple has been transferring substantial 6S Plus backlight module orders to Radiant. As such, we estimate the company’s iPhone 6S Plus backlight module orders to increase by 70-80% to 4-5mn units in September, boosting its order allocation from 35-45% to 70-80%.

Nonetheless, KGI says that it expects Apple to have between 1.5 and 2.5 million 6s Plus units ready to go for the September 25th ship date. Earlier this morning, Apple said that new iPhone pre-orders are currently outpacing the success of last year’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-order period. This, of course, is not entirely surprising as this year’s rollout includes China, while last year’s China launch happened a bit later than the first wave.

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Comments

  1. Sorry if I don’t take stock in yet another supply constraint story. If memory serves it’s been a topic of conversation for, oh, I don’t know, EVERY APPLE PRODUCT, EVER!!

    Every year (sometimes more than once per year depending on the product launch window) there’s a story about supply constraints due to screens, memory, chips, etc. Yet despite these supposed issues — and with so many I question the credibility of such claims — it has little baring on Apple’s ability to sell their wares in the millions.

    I’m sure whatever they’re going through it’ll all work out in the end.

    • tincan2012 - 9 years ago

      Agree! Enough already especially from these supply chain moles like KGI..

  2. Why does this always happen every year? New products and demands are released YEARLY by Apple. Aren’t these companies aware of the demands and the time frames that Apple uses?

  3. 23 (@AyeKay15) - 9 years ago

    Just making sure, Apple won’t ship these until the backlight issue is resolved, right?

  4. ryancgoodfellow - 9 years ago

    *rolls eyes* Enough with this supply chain constraint dribble. It is useless information. A bottleneck in a supply chain is not a bad thing. I would be worried if there weren’t one, which would indicate inadequate design or overestimation of demand. Get over it KGI! Find something else to talk about.

  5. Robert Dupuy - 9 years ago

    The numbers in this article don’t coincide with earlier reports that Apple was expecting a record quarter. 4-5 million units for September? Looks like Apple is not willing to stockpile. They’d rather chance a glitch than too many. I wonder why….no I don’t lol.