Initial sales of the latest iPhone models fell short of Apple’s expectations. Ming-Chi Kuo, a renowned analyst, noted that demand for the models was lower than expected, even though the devices went on sale in the United States and dozens of other countries. Kuo based his conclusions on supply chain analysis and shipping time estimates posted on Apple’s website.
According to the data presented by Kuo,that around 37 million units of all four iPhone 16 models were ordered in the first weekend of pre-sale. This means a drop of almost 13% compared to the first weekend of sales of the iPhone 15 series last year. Interestingly, the drop is most noticeable in the Pro models – iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, which are recording 27% and 16% lower sales than their counterparts last year. This is a clear signal that more advanced models are not currently enjoying as much interest as in previous years.
However, to Apple’s credit, the entry-level models – the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus – had a better start, recording higher demand than the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus in the same period. However, this did not manage to offset the decline in interest in the Pro versions – Apple is certainly not happy, because it is on the Pro models that it has the highest “markup”.
The reason for these problems is quite simple. The lack of availability of Apple Intelligence at the time of the devices’ premiere is to blame. This function was supposed to be one of the main advantages attracting customers, and it turns out that it will not be available until the release of the iOS 18.1 update, scheduled for October. This could discourage many users who expected immediate access to what had been announced for some time. In short – customers prefer to wait a bit. Or maybe (taking into account the availability of Apple Intelligence even in a year), they simply do not need to switch to higher models, because they do not receive anything interesting with them.
It is worth paying special attention to the Middle Kingdom. China has become a field of competition between local manufacturers and the giant from Cupertino. Intense price competition and also the rapid technological development of Chinese companies can significantly affect the sales results of iPhones, especially the high-end models.
The drop in demand for the more expensive versions of the iPhone 16 may indicate changing consumer preferences. Also unfortunate are the delays in implementing Apple Intelligence functions: they may have weakened the attractiveness of these devices in the eyes of potential customers.
The situation on the smartphone market shows that Apple must face an increasingly demanding environment, both in terms of consumer expectations and growing competition from other manufacturers. Apple continues to set trends, but… the machine built by Jobs and Ivy is starting to jam. iPhones offer “reinvented” functions that someone else already had, and on top of that — they heavily ration the most important ones. This is a perfect recipe for screwing up sales of the latest model. Bravo, Apple!
Source: antyweb.pl
