When Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone X last September, he said the $999 device would “set the path of technology for the next decade.” But while its technological credentials may not be in question, a poor reception for Apple’s most expensive iPhone may mean it is forced to step off that path within a year of going on sale.
Rumors stemming from Apple analysts suggest that a reduction in orders means iPhone X production may cease as early as this summer, which would be the first time Apple has discontinued an iPhone before unveiling a new model.
A research note by analysts at KGI Securities, seen by Apple news site Apple Insider, estimated iPhone X shipments in the first quarter of 2018 were at around 18 million devices—a significant reduction on previous flagship iPhones.