iPhone 16 Pro Interest Wanes: A Shift in Consumer Demand

Analyst: Less People are Interested in the iPhone 16 Pro - Phandroid

While Apple's "Pro" model iPhones are usually among its best-selling devices, it looks like this might not be the case this year, at least according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. A veteran to Apple-related news and rumors, Kuo states that this year's figures haven't been the best for Apple, at least as far as the 16 series is concerned. Based on his findings, it appears that pre-orders for the iPhone 16 series in the first weekend are estimated at 37 million units, which is down 12.7% year-on-year versus the iPhone 15 series sales during the same time period - this includes the fact that initial weekend sales for the 16 and 16 plus have increased year-on-year. Surprisingly, demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max has been lower than usual, at least when compared to the 15 Pro Max. According to Kuo, this change in market performance is affected by factors such as Apple's delayed launch of its AI features, which aren't set to arrive at least until in October. Competition from Chinese smartphone brands has also affected the Cupertino giant's sales. On the other hand, Kuo comments that there might be a significant change once Apple Intelligence features start arriving, as well as the incoming holiday shopping season.

The iPhone 16 Pro line seemingly isn't anywhere near as popular as the 15 Pro, but that's no surprise

In recent years, Apple's Pro iPhone models have typically been its best sellers, but while that's still seemingly the case this year, initial demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max is reportedly much lower than for their predecessors. Ming-Chi Kuo - an analyst with a great track record for Apple information - has carried out a supply chain survey to estimate the pre-order numbers of each iPhone 16 model, and has found that the iPhone 16 Pro is down 27% relative to its predecessor, at 9.8 million units pre-ordered, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max is down 16%, with 17.1 million units pre-ordered. This seemingly came as a surprise to Apple, particularly in the case of the iPhone 16 Pro Max, as the company reportedly produced around 6 million units of the phone ahead of pre-orders, which is 106% more than it produced of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Still, it's not all bad news for Apple, because while initial demand for the Pro models is seemingly down, the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are reportedly proving more popular than their predecessors, with pre-orders of the iPhone 16 said to be up by 10%, with 7.3 million units pre-ordered, and the iPhone 16 Plus's said to be up by 48%, though still with the lowest demand overall, at 2.6 million pre-ordered units. But according to Kuo, that hasn't made up for the reduced interest in the Pro models, with the iPhone 16 line as a whole estimated to have sold around 37 million units so far, which is down 12.7% from the iPhone 15 series on its first weekend. So why is this? Kuo highlights the lack of Apple Intelligence at launch as being a major factor. This suite of AI features is one of the key selling points of the iPhone 16 line, but no Apple Intelligence features will be available until October, and even then, we won't initially get all the features Apple has revealed. Kuo also suggests that intense competition from Chinese phone brands has impacted pre-order numbers. Beyond that, we'd guess the standard and Plus models might be proving more popular than their predecessors because they have more in common with the Pro phones. They have the new Camera Control button for example, which Apple could have easily made exclusive to the Pro phones. They also gained the Action button from last year's Pro models, and they have a new A18 chipset rather than inheriting the A17 Pro from the iPhone 15 Pro line. All of this could make the Pro models feel less essential, so it's no real surprise that pre-orders for these are lower than for last year's models. Still, Kuo predicts that demand for the iPhone 16 line as a whole could well increase later in the year, once Apple Intelligence does start rolling out, and once we enter the year-end holiday season.

Why iPhone 16 Sales Are Slumping: Delayed Features, Market Challenges, and Competition

iPhone 16's launch is haunting Apple Inc., as shares of the technology giant slipped close to 3% following reports of weaker-than-expected demand. The last statistics reported that pre-order sales for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max during the first weekend were 27% and 16% less, respectively, compared to last year's sales of the iPhone 15. According to Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from TF International Securities in a blog post pointed out a very critical reason for this drop in sales, the delayed launch of Apple Intelligence. The highly anticipated artificial intelligence feature, the iPhone 16 boasts but doesn't have as of now.

iPhone 16 Pre-Order Data Reveals Pro Models Are Not Tempting Enough This Year

The iPhone 16 series has been up for pre-orders starting Friday, September 13. The debut weekend for the iPhone 16 gives an idea of which model got the most love, and pre-orders. According to Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max is less than what Apple expected. On the flip side, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus secured more pre-orders during the first weekend compared to last year's iPhone 15 & 15 Plus. Interestingly, the iPhone 16 Plus is the bestseller during the debut weekend. As per Kuo's pre-order analysis, the iPhone 16 lineup reached about 37 million units in the first weekend, marking a decline of nearly 13% compared to the first weekend sales of last year's iPhone 15 series. Kuo mentioned the key factor for lesser sales is the lower demand for the Pro models. This data is based on a "supply chain survey" and ship times on Apple's online store. Here's what Kuo found from his analysis: This year, people seem to be more interested in the vanilla models, rather than the higher-end Pros. We can say this at least for the first weekend of iPhone 16 sales. Despite impressive growth with the iPhone 16 Plus, the lower-than-expected demand for the iPhone 16 Pro is far outweighing it. Kuo said one of the major reasons for the decline in the iPhone 16 Pro demand is the absence of much-hyped Apple Intelligence features on the devices when they launch on September 20. Instead, Apple will roll out its AI features in October with the iOS 18.1 update. Also, the suite of AI features will be rolled out in stages, with some additions even arriving late in 2024 or early 2025. At the moment, the Apple Intelligence charm isn't working for people. Kuo also mentioned that Apple is facing massive competition in China. According to Kuo's numbers, Apple had really high hopes for the iPhone 16 Pro Max and produced 6 million units of this flagship before launch, which is up 106% from what they did last year. Another reason for the growing iPhone 16 & 16 Plus demand could be the fact that the vanilla models are now more in line with the Pro models. The Camera Control button is available across the lineup and iPhone 16 colors are pretty good this time. The holiday season ahead could significantly boost iPhone 16 sales, and the top-selling models often change by the end of Apple's fiscal first quarter. In the coming months, we'll get to know more about how the iPhone 16 performs. Are you planning to upgrade to the iPhone 16 series? Which model will you go for? Tell us in the comments below.

Rumors of an Apple 'super cycle' appear to have been greatly exaggerated

This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. But some early estimates paint a less optimistic picture. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst in Taiwan known for his Apple predictions, published a blog post on Sunday with estimates of the iPhone 16's sales during its first preorder weekend, based on his latest supply chain survey and pre-order results from Apple's official websites. The series sold about 37 million units between last Friday and Sunday -- a 12.7% drop year-over-year from the iPhone 15's release weekend, according to Kuo. "The key factor is the lower-than-expected demand for the iPhone 16 Pro series," he wrote. That's because "the major selling point, Apple Intelligence, is not available at launch alongside the iPhone 16 release," Kuo said. "Additionally, intense competition in the Chinese market continues to impact iPhone demand." It's a far cry from the "golden upgrade cycle" that Wedbush Securities analysts predicted after Apple Intelligence was introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. They maintained that position when the iPhone 16 was introduced on September 9. "Today in Cupertino Apple launched iPhone 16 which we believe will be the most successful iPhone unit launch in its history as Apple Intelligence will be the launching pad for the consumer AI Revolution globally," they said in a note last week. Investors are divided on the issue, Gene Munster, Deepwater Asset Management managing partner, wrote in a Sunday note. Munster added that the delay to the launch of new AI features and their overall impact on user experience are the main factors working against an upgrade "supercycle" for investors. And other Apple watchers were more cautious, too. "It's not happening. But it will for the iPhone 17," Bloomberg correspondent Mark Gurman said on X. Kuo's data are based on pre-orders, of course, and Apple launches in the past have showed that many shoppers prefer to head to a store to get the handsets themselves. The iPhone 16 will be available in-store on Friday, and Apple has reportedly been training retail employees on all that Apple Intelligence has to offer. The AI tools include a more helpful Siri, AI Writing Tools, and visual intelligence. But the features will only begin rolling out in October -- weeks after the iPhone 16's release. So, there's still time for the iPhone 16 to grab the hearts and wallets of shoppers.

Buying an iPhone 16? Here's which models are most in demand - and how long you'll have to wait

iPhone 16 preorder sales are down compared with last year's iPhone 15 so far - but it's not all bad news for Apple. Overall preorder demand for the iPhone 16 has taken a tumble compared to the iPhone 15. Looking at this past weekend's results for the iPhone 16 lineup, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo found that preorder sales rang in at around 37 million units. That's about 12.7% lower than the first-weekend preorder sales for the iPhone 15 series in 2023. Also: I maxed out my iPhone 16 Pro Max preorder. Here's how much it cost me Though the drop may sound severe, the results are actually a mixed bag, with the two Pro models responsible for the overall decline. Based on Kuo's analysis of a supply chain survey and the latest data from Apple's websites, preorder sales fell by 16% for the iPhone 16 Pro Max and 27% for the iPhone 16 Pro compared with last year. On the brighter side for Apple, sales for the iPhone 16 Plus jumped by a hefty 48% for the iPhone 16 Plus and 10% for the iPhone 16. Unveiled at Apple's "Glowtime" event a week ago, the iPhone 16 lineup kicked off for preorder sales at 8 am ET on Friday. This means that Kuo's numbers are based on the initial three-day weekend as customers preordered one of the four new models. Also: I demoed Apple's standard iPhone 16 and didn't envy the Pro models at all The estimated delivery times also show different numbers for the Pro and non-Pro iPhone 16 units. Customers who preorder an iPhone 16 Pro Max now will have to wait three to four weeks for their phone to arrive, while those who snag an iPhone 16 Pro will have to wait one to two weeks. Looking at the same period last year, people who preordered an iPhone 15 Pro Max at this point had to wait seven to eight weeks, while those who grabbed an iPhone 15 Pro had to wait three to four weeks. Kuo paints a different picture for the other two models. People who preorder an iPhone 16 Plus now have to wait two to three weeks, while those who buy an iPhone 16 have to wait one to two weeks. At the same period last year, preorder buyers of the iPhone 15 Plus had to wait less than one week, while those who picked up an iPhone 15 has to wait one to two weeks. Also: 6 AI features iPhone users can expect first on iOS 18 (and what's coming later) Why the less-than-stellar demand for the two iPhone 16 Pro models? Kuo put the onus on two factors. First, Apple has been touting its AI-based Apple Intelligence tech as a key selling point. But, this feature won't be available until next month with the release of iOS 18.1. Why should people buy a new phone now when they can wait until this major perk sees the light of day? Second, Kuo cited intense competition in the Chinese market as another factor. Here, Apple has to face off against local players such as Huawei, OPPO, and Vivo, all of whom enjoy a home-court advantage. Plus, Chinese vendors continue to innovate as a means to lure in customers. Huawei, for example, just released a tri-fold phone. Dubbed the Mate XT, the new device sports a double-hinged design that can shrink the OLED screen to 6.4 inches. But we're still in the very early phases of the iPhone 16 launch, which means Apple has ample time to try to boost sales. Kuo pointed to the upcoming release of Apple Intelligence and peak holiday season promotions as two factors that can entice people to buy. And there may be more tricks up Apple's sleeve next year. Also: Every iPhone 16 model compared: Which new iPhone should you buy? "Suppose Apple Intelligence releases in 4Q24 and peak season promotions have a limited effect on iPhone 16 shipments," Kuo said. "In that case, I believe that Apple will implement more aggressive iPhone product strategies in 2025 to stimulate market demand." The iPhone 16 officially launches on Friday, September 20, and consumers can find it in Apple Stores, on the Apple website, and at both physical and online retailers globally.