A China analyst said orders for the iPhone 8 in the mainland are significantly below levels for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6, Barron’s Asia reported.

Rosenblatt Securities’ Chinese market research showed 1.5 million iPhone 8 orders on JD.com in the first three days compared with 3.5 million for the iPhone 7. In addition the analyst company believes the volume of iPhone 8 orders at China Mobile was about 1 million compared with 2.5 million for the iPhone 7 and 3.5 million for the iPhone 6, MD and head of China Equity Research Jun Zhang said.

Zhang acknowledged many consumers could be waiting for the iPhone X, which doesn’t go on sale until 27 October, but he is concerned Apple may need to amend its production plans for iPhone 8 and 8Plus Barron’s Asia reported.

Apple’s share of the greater China smartphone market, which covers Hong Kong and Taiwan, fell to 9 per cent in the January to June period from a peak of 14 per cent in the first half of 2015, according to Counterpoint Research. The smartphone giant’s revenue in greater China dropped 10 per cent year-on-year in its fiscal Q3, which covers the three months to 1 July.

Initial data also shows orders for the iPhone 8 are lower in the US, Zhang said.

Raymond James Financial chip analyst Christopher Caso said Apple hasn’t started final production of the iPhone X due to a recent delay which could push back supplies to at least December, Seeking Alpha reported.