Smartphone makers are expecting a tougher year.Apple is planning to keep iPhone production roughly flat in 2022, a conservative stance as the year turns increasingly challenging for the smartphone industry.
The Cupertino, California-based company declined to comment on the outlook, which could change depending on the economy and supply constraints in the coming months. Apple doesn’t disclose its production targets and stopped disclosing how many iPhones it sells in 2019. Apple is betting on resilient demand for its devices due to its comparatively wealthier customer base and the strength of its software and services ecosystem fuelling sales of hardware, according to the people. It’s also seeing less competition now that fierce rival Huawei has been shut out of markets, they added. Huawei, once the number one phone maker by shipments, has seen revenue fall for six consecutive quarters.