Apple Slashes iPhone Parts Orders

This is worrisome:

Apple’s orders for iPhone 5 screens for the January-March quarter, for example, have dropped to roughly half of what the company had previously planned to order, two of the people said.

The Cupertino, Calif., company has also cut orders for components other than screens, according to one of the people.

Apple notified the suppliers of the order cut last month, the people said.

I’m not worried about my Apple shares — I don’t own any. But I am worried about what this means for the broader economy. We always knew 2013 was going to be yet another Year of Meh, but a ride on the double dip is looking more likely.

UPDATE: Apple Insider claims the parts cut is a rumor, not a fact.

Does anyone know what’s going on here?

ANOTHER UPDATE: Confusion reigns.