- First weekend sales results for Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 6 and 6 Plus could disappoint, Bernstein's Toni Sacconaghi warns, noting AAPL's pre-order announcement and customer expected delivery dates point to stronger supply constraints vs. prior years and China's absence as a launch country.
- Sacconaghi estimates first weekend shipments could come in at 7M-8M units rather than expectations for as high as 10M units or even the 9M iPhone 5S and 5Cs shipped last year.
- But the analyst says investors should bear in mind that "first weekend sales" are principally a function of available supply rather than iPhone demand; a slower ramp could ultimately prove beneficial for AAPL, since a later China rollout could push sales forward and help smooth the iPhone's typical March quarter falloff.