TAIPEI, Sept 8 Reuters The shares of several major Apple suppliers fell on Friday, following reports that China had widened curbs on use of iPhones by state employees, fanning fears about sales prospects in one of the U.S. company39;s biggest markets.

Staff in at least three Chinese ministries and government bodies were told not to use iPhones at work, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Shares were also weighed down by fears that Chinese mobile phone maker Huawei Technologies HWT.UL could return as an Apple rival after it launched presales for a new version of its Mate 60 smartphone that uses an advanced chip.

Taiwan39;s TSMC, the world39;s largest contract chipmaker and a major Apple supplier, dropped about 0.7, outpacing a fall of about 0.3 in the benchmark index.

Shares of ASE Technology Holding Co Ltd, one of the world39;s largest semiconductor testing and packaging firms, fell more than 2, while camera lensmaker Largan Precision Co Ltd dropped more than 3.

China could well expand its curbs on officials39; use of iPhones, said Allen Huang, executive director of Mega International Investment Services Corp in Taipei.

In recent years Chinese nationalism has been causing trouble, influencing policy guidance, he said.

Huang added that Huawei39;s new smartphones would also do well, pressuring sales of the new iPhone 15, set for launch on Tuesday.

In China, Luxshare Precision Industry, maker of connector cables for the iPhone and MacBook, as well as…