CDMA iPhone Production Boosted on Expected Asia Demand

[Paul Daniel Ash]

According to a new report out of the East Asian supply chain, Apple's second iPhone manufacturer just increased its production plans for CDMA iPhones by 50% on expected demand from developing markets. Digitimes reports that Pegatron, which joined traditional iPhone manufacturer Foxconn last year, is raising its production target from 10 million to 15 million units. The expectation that customers of CDMA carriers in countries like China, Japan, South Korea and India will snap up iPhones in large numbers reportedly led to the increase.

Apple's manufacturing plan is for Foxconn to solely handle the production of CDMA iPhones destined for the US, with Pegatron taking care of shipments to the rest of the world. Pegatron had originally expected to produce around 10 million CDMA iPhones in 2011, but reportedly has increased that forecast to anywhere from 12 to 15 million. The reason: growing demand for the iPhone among users of CDMA carriers in the rapidly developing economies of South Asia. While GSM carriers represent a much larger market overall with over 1.5 billion subscribers worldwide, there are still about 600 million CDMA subscribers, most of them in the Asia Pacific region. So while Verizon in the US was obviously the largest target for Apple, there is still significant demand in Asia, which will only grow as the iPhone 4 is replaced by the iPhone 5 (which some expect will be a dual-mode GSM-CDMA phone) and prices drop for the older device.

Pegatron Technology was spun off from the Taiwanese computer products manufacturer Asustek last year. Though it still makes devices and components for Asus and other computer manufacturers like Acer, the new company is making less than expected and is hoping for this increase of 20% to 50% over initial estimates to boost its bottom line. Digitimes estimates the cost of the CDMA iPhone 4 at $190-200 US, as compared to $188 for the GSM iPhone 4.

Source: AppleInsider

[steve-z17]

Lol, all these suckers buying the iPhone right now...just wait a few months and get the new one...that'll work with the 4G network.

[xwinger]

theres no point buying an iphone any later than august.

[flintoff]

I want to have world iPhone which can work with any network.. If it comes out like that I will buy it other wise I will move to android.. Cuz I rely on unlock heavily

[verizon iPhone]

anybody who plans to buy the iphone 4 on Verizon should wait for the iphone 5 because most likely it will come out shortly after the release of the CDMA iphone 4. Most likely in june. i am going to buy a verizon iphone, but i plan to wait and everybody else should too.

[mahatmt]

This can't be, not with all these know-it-alls saying people should wait for some phantom 4G phone, and one with a 3D display. They obviously know more than Apple.

[Moeflex456]

Lol, all these suckers buying the iPhone right now...just wait a few months and get the new one...that'll work with the 4G network.

iPhone4 is very capable 4g just needs os update to work and AT&T to do it already

[RICO_]

All you people suggesting for Verizon customers to wait for the iP5......you already know they're not gonna do that so why even bother mentioning it. They're gonna have to have it as soon as it's out and then when the iPhone 5 comes out they'll realize they screwed up.

Has it even been confirmed that the next iPhone in June will be 4G compatible?

[xwinger]

This can't be, not with all these know-it-alls saying people should wait for some phantom 4G phone, and one with a 3D display. They obviously know more than Apple.

you sir must be new. it is known by most that a new iphone comes out every summer. only suckers dont know that

[steve-z17]

iPhone4 is very capable 4g just needs os update to work and AT&T to do it already

iPhone 4 can't handle LTE, hence waiting for the iPhone 5.

[kyvos]

i can't seem to find waldo.

[EskimoRuler]

you can wait for iphone 5 but i dont think that apple is going to have it running on LTE. look at their first phone, no 3G on a network that had a well established 3G network, i think apple id going to see how the network progress for the next year then iphone 6 will have 4G capabilities

[steve-z17]

you can wait for iphone 5 but i dont think that apple is going to have it running on LTE. look at their first phone, no 3G on a network that had a well established 3G network, i think apple id going to see how the network progress for the next year then iphone 6 will have 4G capabilities

I understand what you're saying. I just think that if Apple didn't make it 4G capable it would be very unwise. I think a lot of customers would be unhappy. I guess we'll find out!