iPhone 12 to ship 80 million units in 2020

iPhone 12 box (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

Apple's iPhone 12 could ship 80 million units this year.
That's according to the latest report from DigiTimes.
The news reflects earlier estimates from Bloomberg.

A new DigiTimes report states Apple could ship 80 million iPhone 12 units in 2020 alone, providing there is no further escalation in the trade war between the US and China.

As reported by DigiTimes:

Apple's new 5G smartphone series is expected to see significant sales momentum, with shipments for iPhone 12 devices standing a chance of hitting as many as 80 million units by the end of 2020, although the US vendor is looking to build an inventory of 71-75 million units for this year. Foxconn is the major assembler for the iPhone 12 series. The Taiwanese ecosystem remains a major partner for Apple, as its PCB makers will supply 60% of the SLPs for the new iPhones.

The report reflects rumors in September from Bloomberg stating that Apple had ordered 75 million iPhone 12 units.

DigiTimes notes that Apple may well be able to entice users with older iPhones to upgrade with a more affordable pricing strategy that includes the iPhone SE, iPhone 11, and iPhone 12 mini.

DigiTimes also reports that Foxconn has secured "the bulk of orders" for Apple's iPhone 12 series, but that orders are not expected to peak until the first quarter of 2021.

DigiTimes notes that whilst Apple will ship at least 70 million units this year, reaching the higher target of 80 million will be incumbent on no further escalations between the US and China in its current trade war.

Apple announced its iPhone 12 on Tuesday featuring all-new 5G connectivity, an A14 processor, and a brand new design.

Stephen Warwick has written about Apple for five years at iMore and previously elsewhere. He covers all of iMore's latest breaking news regarding all of Apple's products and services, both hardware and software. Stephen has interviewed industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. He also specializes in curating and reviewing audio hardware and has experience beyond journalism in sound engineering, production, and design.

Before becoming a writer Stephen studied Ancient History at University and also worked at Apple for more than two years. Stephen is also a host on the iMore show, a weekly podcast recorded live that discusses the latest in breaking Apple news, as well as featuring fun trivia about all things Apple.