Smartphone effect casts a shadow over Asia’s bumper export year

People buy the iPhone 8 at the Apple Orchard Shop in Singapore September 22, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su

The rush to upgrade smartphones may be ebbing, prompting economists to dial back the outlook for Asian exporters. 

Early indications, including signs of disappointing orders, point to a mixed reaction to the latest iPhones, hurting the share prices of Apple Inc’s Asia-based suppliers. Given that smartphone improvements help power demand for electronics components from supply-chain powerhouses such as South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, a weaker upgrade cycle would have macro-economic implications too.