Every year, Apple sees a significant dip in phone sales as the launch of a new iPhone in September draws near. According to a report from investment bank JP Morgan, however, that drop is notably absent this year (via AppleInsider).
JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee’s analysis of Wave7 research data on U.S. sales trends across carriers in July has revealed that less than a month away from the iPhone 13’s expected launch in the third week of September, iPhone 12 sales are showing no indications of slowing down.
Even the iPhone 12 mini, which Apple had to pull from production due to decreasing demand, is holding steady (albeit at a smaller volume).
“Overall iPhone share did not fall in July, as the company side-stepped typical seasonality ahead of a September iPhone launch, led by the ongoing resilience of the iPhone 12 in combination with inventory issues for Samsung,” reads Chatterjee’s report.
The iPhone 12 became the world’s best-selling 5G smartphone just 2 weeks after launch, and the Pro models’ superior camera arrays have made them top-sellers across the globe.
Apple has also managed to ride out the worst of the global chip shortage somewhat unscathed, although iPhone 12 production in India did see a temporary slump earlier this year.
Apple is in a much better position inventory-wise than competitors like Samsung, who have been battered and bruised by the stunted chip supply, leading to more iPhones on shelves than Android phones.
TSMC has already said it will be prioritizing Apple’s orders during Q3 of this year, despite the semiconductor manufacturer going on record to reveal that the chip shortage could carry on well into 2022.
Wave7 believes Apple will hold an iPhone 13 launch event on Sept. 15, with pre-orders starting Sept. 17. According to the research firm, the iPhone 13 lineup should start shipping Sept. 24.
