Technology analysts TrendForce estimated that total smartphone production for 2017 reached 1.46B units, up 6.5% on the previous year. It predicts that growth will be slightly slower in 2018 as component costs continue to rise.
The company also predicts that iPhone sales will increase significantly this year, while those of Samsung smartphones will fall …
Claimed image of the iPhone 7 from OnLeaks
Supply chain research by TrendForce backs earlier reports suggesting that this year’s iPhone will be a relatively minor upgrade over the iPhone 6s. The firm says that most of the specs have now been finalized, and the specifics listed are in line with what has been reported previously.
[The iPhone] will come in two sizes: 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. The major hardware highlights include expanded storage for all models and dual-camera specifically for the 5.5-inch model. However, the next iPhone (here also referred to as iPhone 7) is generally consistent with its predecessor appearance-wise; and more importantly, display is not included in its upgrades.
It backs a report of a top storage tier of 256GB, but says that Apple has not yet decided whether to retain the 64GB middle tier or boost it to 128GB. A recent report suggested that Apple is at long last dropping the 16GB entry-level in favor of 32GB.
TrendForce also supports a report by KGI that there is a specific reason for Apple’s rumored move to 3GB RAM for the larger model …