iPhone X
Demand for iPhone X components has weakened. Reuters/Peter Nicholis

Pre-orders for the iPhone X in the U.S., Taiwan and Singapore were not as strong as expected, according to a report by DigiTimes. The iPhone X reportedly had a tight supply in other markets, including Japan.

Apple released the iPhone X early November, weeks after it launched the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. The iPhone X comes with an edge-to-edge OLED display and the TrueDepth camera system for the new Face ID and Animoji features. The iPhone X prices start at $999 for the 32GB model and $1,149 for the 256GB version. The device was widely-anticipated, and saw bigger lines at Apple Stores than the iPhone 8 launch.

However, the new report claims the device isn’t so hot.

Shipments of the latest iPhone are expected to reach between 30-35 million units in the fourth quarter of 2017, sources from the semiconductor packaging and testing service industry told DigiTimes. Device shipments are expected to stay flat or slightly decrease in next year’s first quarter, the report also said.

Apple began taking pre-orders for the iPhone X a few weeks after launching its two other 2017 iPhones. The iPhone 8 costs $699, while the iPhone 8 Plus is priced at $799. Both devices are cheaper than the iPhone X.

While iPhone X pre-orders didn’t do as well as predicted in the U.S., Taiwan and Singapore, Apple Watch sales seem to have faired better. Shipments for the wearable device are expected to reach 27 million units next year, higher than the previous 23-25 million forecast.

2018 iPhone Lineup Rumors

Since the iPhone X had a weak performance, upstream supply chain rumors claim Apple is planning to launch three new iPhones next year. Two of the devices are expected to feature OLED screens and the third is rumored to sport an LCD display. The iPhones could also include a broader use of 3D-sensing features.

Those rumored features have been previously predicted. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple will release a larger iPhone X next year, called the iPhone X Plus. That 6.5-inch device and another 5.8-inch iPhone are expected to feature the OLED display seen in this year’s iPhone X. Samsung is rumored to supply between 180 to 200 million OLED panels from Samsung for Apple’s 2018 iPhones, a report this week said. The third 5.8-inch iPhone is expected to have an LCD display.

Apple is also expected to change iPhone prices in 2018. The Cupertino company is rumored to release iPhones with similar features the iPhone X has for lower prices. The smartphones are expected to come with the TrueDepth camera system, which means it’ll support the facial recognition technology seen on the iPhone X.

Next year’s iPhone might also include a one-cell L-shaped batter y, rather the current two-cell battery on the iPhone X. The new battery could boost the 5.8-inch iPhone’s capacity from 2,716mAh battery to 2,900mAh-3,000mAh. Battery life should be better with the new L-shaped batteries.