Apple tells suppliers to prepare for high iPhone 7 demand

While analysts and pundits alike are expecting the iPhone 7 to be boring, reports are circulating that Apple is telling suppliers to get ready to manufacture 72 to 78 million new iPhones by year's end.

This is the figure being reported by Barron's Asia, quoting Taiwan's Economic Daily. According to the report, Hon Hai Precision Technology (aka Foxconn) will be the primary manufacturer, but Pegatron will also handle some of the assembly.

• The figure of 72 to 78 million is significant for a number of reasons:
• This would be a production level for the iPhone not seen in two years
• It's far higher than the 65 million figure that Wall Street analysts have been anticipating

It suggests that Apple is far more confident in its ability to shift iPhone 7 units than analysts are, and it could suggest that the current rumors - which point to the iPhone 7 being a minor upgrade - aren't accurate.

Speaking of iPhone 7 rumors, what we have so far points to the new handset having dual-speakers, no headphone jack, a dual-camera array (possibly only fitted to the iPhone 7 Plus) and an all-glass construction (instead of the 700-series aluminum currently used).

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