The demand for Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 may be stronger than the already popular iPhone 13 lineup, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a tweet thread on Thursday, Kuo says his latest survey of Chinese distributors and retailers indicate that they have had to pay the highest prepaid deposit ever for the iPhone 14 to ensure a consistent supply.
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The demand for iPhone 14 in the Chinese market may be stronger than that of the iPhone 13 from the viewpoints of distributors/retailers/scalpers.— (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) June 30, 2022
Kuo points out that the prepaid deposits, which are fees to secure upcoming smartphone supply prior to launch, is "significantly higher" than the iPhone 13. In some areas, it's as much as twice as high as the prior lineup.
"The iPhone 14 shipment forecast of component suppliers and EMS is about 100 million and 90 million units in 2H22, respectively," Kuo wrote. "The solid demand for iPhone 14 in the Chinese market may reduce market concerns about the risk of the iPhone 14 order cut after the launch."
Apple has been steadily gaining ground in the Chinese smartphone market. A recent report indicated that half of all mobile devices sold during the country's 6.18 festival were Apple iPhones. Other reports indicate that Apple's devices are taking market share from both domestic and international suppliers.
Additionally, a number of reports suggest that the iPhone 13 lineup is seeing stronger demand than past models — and that the demand is continuing into later in the year than prior lineups.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro lineup is expected to bring a number of upgrades to the iPhone, including camera improvements, changes to its front-facing camera cutout, and Apple's latest A16 processor.
