This combined with the fact that Boeing decided last week to halve its 747-8 production and probably stop it after the US Presidential order for AF1 replacements, is probably reshuffling the dices regarding the short term future of the A380.
Boeing still thinks there is a good market for the 747-8F. There are a whole lot of 747 freighters out there that are approaching retirement (north of 100,000 hours, and freighter cycles are typically more abusive than passenger since they typically operate close to MTOW and Max Landing weights). The only real competition to the 747-8F is the 777F, but the 747 can carry about a third more and with the nose door can better handle outsized cargo. The trick now is to keep the line going until the freight market picks up again and operators order more -8F.
If Boeing really believed the 747 was dead, slowing down the line wouldn't make financial sense - it would be cheaper to go ahead and build the order base (with a few white tails for AF1) and shut it down.