Apple asks suppliers for up to 90 million new iPhones

Apple is planning a much larger initial production run of its new iPhone models, asking suppliers to deliver between 85 million and 90 million units by December 31, The Wall Street Journal reports. Those totals include updated versions of both 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone models, dwarfing last year’s initial production run of 70 million to 80 million for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. After strong sales of Apple’s first larger-screen smartphones, the company seems to be betting that the addition of Force Touch in updated models will bring users back for an upgrade. Apple is considering adding a third assembler, Winstron Corp., to meet the increased demand, according to people familiar with the matter. Last year, Apple’s reliance on Foxconn and Pegatron Corp. resulted in long waits for customers hungry for the larger display phones.