Rumor: Apple halts Mac component orders, is less 'aggressive' looking forward

Apple has reportedly stopped placing component orders for its Mac line of desktops and notebooks, leaving suppliers in the lurch and observers wondering what the impact will be on the company's bottom line.

The rumor comes from supposed "related upstream suppliers," who tell hit-or-miss tech news site Digitimes that they originally expected Apple to work through its Mac inventories in April but that they're still waiting for additional orders and instructions from the computer maker. Apple's supply chain orders following the Lunar New Year holidays are said to have dropped nearly nothing.

The supposed order shift could signal that Apple overestimated demand for its notebook and desktop models in the face of a struggling PC market. Apple typically gives its suppliers a shipment forecast for the upcoming 12 weeks, but the company is said to have not provided a shipment forecast for the second quarter. Some suppliers reportedly are worried that shipments might not resume until May.

Supply chain issues have been a bigger problem for Apple of late, as the precision required in manufacturing some Mac products has occasionally led to shortages that impacted overall sales. Of recent, though, Mac sales are thought to have been on the rebound.

The PC industry has continually shrunk as consumers have opted for smartphones and tablets instead of traditional computing form factors. Apple, a leader in both the smartphone and tablet segments, has traditionally benefitted from this trend, with CEO Tim Cook calling Apple's iPad the "poster child of the post-PC revolution."

Readers can always find the best prices on Apple's Mac lineup by visiting the AppleInsider Mac Price Guide. Included below is the portion for the iMac, Apple's most recently redesigned Mac lineup.