Apple Inc. plans to cut production orders of the iPhone 5C and expand production of the iPhone 5S instead, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

Apple asked manufacturers Pegatron and Foxconn to downsize production of the iPhone 5C, expecting weaker-than-expected sales. Pegatron, which assembles two-thirds of Apple’s iPhone 5C, has cut production orders by 20 percent, and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., also known as Foxconn, also slashed its production by one-third.

Meanwhile, orders for the iPhone 5S’ gold model, however, are backlogged until November in the U.S.

Apple may have missed the mark in predicting sales of the low-end phone, but the U.S. media said there could be other reasons behind the move. Apple’s iPhone 5S is $100 cheaper than the premium 5S.

By Yoon Ha-youn, Intern reporter
(yhayoun@heraldcorp.com)