iPhone 16 Series: Unexpected Demand Shifts and Market Dynamics

iPhone 16 series reportedly already available at discount in this country - Times of India

Some major Chinese e-commerce platforms have significantly discounted Apple's new iPhone 16 series ahead of its official release, signalling potentially weak demand in the world's largest smartphone market. The price cuts come as consumers await Apple's first on-device artificial intelligence (AI) software, which won't be available in Chinese at launch. PDD Holdings' Pinduoduo is offering the iPhone 16 Plus (512GB) at 8,999 yuan ($1,268), a 10% reduction from the official price, according to the South China Morning Post.The 128GB iPhone 16 model has an even steeper 11% discount. On Alibaba's platforms, including Taobao and Tmall, the high-end iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB) is being sold at a 4% discount. Tmall is also offering interest-free 24-month instalment plans for Apple handsets. The discounts suggest Apple faces challenges in China, a crucial market for the tech giant. The iPhone 16, shipping this Friday, lacks AI features considered its main selling point. While Apple plans to launch its AI system in US English next month, Chinese language support won't be available until next year. Initial response on Chinese social media has also been been lukewarm, as per reports. Globally, first-weekend pre-orders for the iPhone 16 series dropped nearly 13% compared to last year's iPhone 15 launch, partly due to the absence of Apple Intelligence at release, reports TF International Securities analyst Kuo Ming-chi. Apple's position in China is further threatened by intense domestic competition. The company recently fell out of the top five smartphone vendors in China by quarterly shipments, with local brands now dominating the premium segment, according to research firms Counterpoint and Canalys. Despite these challenges, Apple has lowered trade-in values for older devices in China by up to 16%, suggesting confidence in its market position, Jefferies analysts noted. The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India. TOI Tech Desk's news coverage spans a wide spectrum across gadget launches, gadget reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact technology and the digital universe. Be it how-tos or the latest happenings in AI, cybersecurity, personal gadgets, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more; TOI Tech Desk brings the news with accuracy and authenticity.

Apple Sees iPhone 16 Pre-Booking Demand Higher Than 16 Pro Models This Year: Here's Why

Apple iPhone 16 series pre-booking started on September 13 in many countries and it seems the company has a big problem with its AI strategy. The iPhone 16 series pre-orders have started in India and many other countries and it seems Apple has got itself a mixed bag in terms of the demand from consumers. The biggest news is that iPhone 16 series has takers and Apple will be happily making more moolah into its kitty. However, reports suggest that the company might have misread the situation or its estimates because of how the pre-orders are going on. The details about the pre-order estimates come via Ming-Chi Kuo, Analyst at TD Securities. Apple has seen the demand for iPhone 16 Plus model skyrocket to 48 percent more than what the company got with the 15 Plus last year. That's not all, the analyst says even the iPhone 16 pre-orders are 10 percent higher than last year's model. But what about the money-churning iPhone 16 Pro series? The analyst doesn't give the exact figures but mentions the demand for the Pro models has been low which has played a big part in the overall number of iPhone units pre-booked during the weekend. The big numbers have also come down because of the alleged low demand for the 16 Pro models, and Apple is estimated to have around 37 million units pre-booked, which is 12.7 percent less than what the company garnered last year. In previous years we have seen the Pro models pick up the higher tab for Apple and this year's 16 Pro models with the AI features should have pushed it up further. So, what caused this drastic change? Well, Kuo claims that Apple's delayed timeline for some of the important AI features seem to have worked against the company. It is also likely that Apple's decision to offer AI features on all the iPhone 16 models has tempted people to pick the regular model if they don't really need the high-end ProMotion display and the extra camera at the back. Can Apple do something to push the demand for the Pro models? One might have to wait for the full bouquet of AI features to roll out in early 2025 when the company could benefit from higher traction for its premium devices. The iPhone 16 series starts from Rs 79,900 in India, which is the same as the iPhone 15 version. While the iPhone 16 Pro starting price is still quite high at Rs 1,19,900 even though it is Rs 15,000 less than what you paid for the iPhone 15 Pro at launch in 2023.

Demand for Apple's iPhone 16 Pro reportedly lower than expected - Times of India

Apple launched its latest iPhone 16 series of smartphones at the company's 'its Glowtime' event on September 9. The iPhone 16 series consists of four smartphones -- iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. All the four smartphones went on pre-orders last week. Now an online report suggests that the iPhone 16 Pro is witnessing lower-than-expected demand. Reasons for low demand According to renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple's highly anticipated iPhone 16 Pro is seeing lower-than-expected demand, while the iPhone 16 Plus has received strong pre-orders.In a recent research note, Kuo stated that the iPhone 16 Pro's initial sales are not meeting Apple's internal expectations. This decline was primarily driven by weaker demand for the iPhone 16 Pro models. "iPhone 16 series first-weekend pre-order sales are estimated at about 37 million units, down about 12.7% YoY from last year's iPhone 15 series first-weekend sales," said Kuo. This could be attributed to various factors. "One of the key factors for the lower-than-expected demand for the iPhone 16 Pro series is that the major selling point, Apple Intelligence, is not available at launch alongside the iPhone 16 release. Additionally, intense competition in the Chinese market continues to impact iPhone demand," added Kuo. Increase in demand for non-Pro model On the other hand, the iPhone 16 Plus has witnessed a significant surge in pre-orders, with demand up by 48% compared to its predecessor. This suggests that consumers are increasingly opting for larger-screened iPhones at a more affordable price. Despite the mixed demand for the iPhone 16 Pro, Apple is still expected to achieve record-breaking sales for the iPhone 16 series overall. The strong performance of the iPhone 16 Plus and the continued popularity of the iPhone 16 are likely to drive overall sales for the series. It remains to be seen how Apple will address the lower-than-expected demand for the iPhone 16 Pro. The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India. TOI Tech Desk's news coverage spans a wide spectrum across gadget launches, gadget reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact technology and the digital universe. Be it how-tos or the latest happenings in AI, cybersecurity, personal gadgets, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more; TOI Tech Desk brings the news with accuracy and authenticity.

iPhone 16 models delivery pushed to October on Apple Store, but why you may not need to wait that long to buy new iPhones - Times of India

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max has been lower than expected, based on supply chain data and shipping estimates. Overall sales of the iPhone 16 series are down 13% compared to the iPhone 15 series' first weekend, with Pro models seeing significant declines. While standard iPhone 16 models show higher demand, it's not enough to offset the Pro models' decrease.Kuo attributes this lower demand to the delayed availability of Apple Intelligence features and strong competition in China. Despite these reports of lower demand, the iPhone 16 series is now up for pre-orders, and the delivery timeline for all four models - iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max - have been pushed to October on Apple Store across India. But, you can still grab yours on the release day, i.e., September 20. When pre-booking the iPhone 16 models on September 13, the day they went on pre-bookings, the Apple Store locations in India - Saket, Delhi and BKC, Mumbai - initially promised delivery on September 20. However, the store pickup option was marked unavailable, while the home delivery was pushed back to the next day. Today, when checked the delivery timeline, it now shows a delivery range of September 30 to October 14 for all four models. Subsequently, online retailers such as Flipkart and Amazon have listed the iPhone 16 models as unavailable. Some retail chains across India still have the iPhone 16 models in their stores. For instance, Croma is promising to deliver iPhone 16 models, including the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, by September 21 to pincodes in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Chennai. However, to note, Reliance Digital, has marked the new iPhone 16 models as currently unavailable. Also, the physical stores couldn't promise a delivery date when reached out. Imagine stores at various locations across the country have been promising to deliver the iPhone 16 Pro models in the initial wave, when contacted, which is expected to arrive between September 20 and 21. Additionally, the iPhone 16 will be readily available starting September 20 at their stores. We also contacted an outlet of Unicorn, an Apple premium retailer in Noida. They suggested that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models will be available on September 20 in all colours and storage options. However, the store is suggesting a delivery date of September 21 for the Natural Titanium, Black Titanium, and White Titanium colours of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Unfortunately, the newly introduced Dessert Titanium colour may not be available at launch due to low stock and prebookings. Customers might have to wait until mid-October for the new colour. Another authorised Apple reseller, informed us that the iPhone 16 models will be available for purchase at their store in Delhi on September 20. However, they informed us that all their initial stock of the iPhone 16 Pro models has been pre-booked. Therefore, customers who pre-book their iPhone 16 Pro models will receive them after September 25. However, they mentioned that customers might have to compromise on the colour options. We also contacted some local mobile stores across the Delhi NCR and they have also promised that they are promising to deliver the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models before the September ends. So, while the stocks run low, and customers may not get the colour of their choice, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models will be available at the launch (as of writing this story) in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, and other cities across the country. The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India. TOI Tech Desk's news coverage spans a wide spectrum across gadget launches, gadget reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact technology and the digital universe. Be it how-tos or the latest happenings in AI, cybersecurity, personal gadgets, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more; TOI Tech Desk brings the news with accuracy and authenticity.