Apple has reportedly cut orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max due to “soft demand.” A new report from Nikkei Asia says Apple has told select suppliers to cut component production for the devices, as price increases allegedly “dampened consumer demand.”
Price hikes reportedly dampen iPhone 18 Pro demand
The report cites “multiple familiar with the matter,” and claims Apple has “turned more conservative on shipments since early September. Two of those sources claim that component orders for October have been cut by “at least 15%” compared to what Apple originally requested.
“In October alone, we are seeing orders from Apple reducing by 15% to 20% for both the premium models; we don’t know how things would develop from here,” said one of the executive-level sources. The order cuts will affect production volumes for some, but not all, suppliers in October due to differing production lead times, and it is not immediately clear whether Apple will make further adjustments from November onward.
Another anonymous supply chain manager told Nikkei Asia that demand is “not as strong as previous years when all the new models are introduced all together.” This, of course, refers to Apple not releasing the base iPhone 18 until next spring. Still, the suppliers say that this alone doesn’t account for the lower demand.
Top comment by Hallmark
Just like clock works. We hear these “reports” about production cuts, then the financial report comes out and it’s a record breaking quarter.
Throughout this year there were some reports that demand was low. Meanwhile Apple keeps increasing their revenue.
I don’t put much credibility on these “reports” unless they reflect on the books.
One source added that they expect a “similar fate for the iPhone Duo” after it’s released, referring to potential production cuts.
Apple increased prices for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max by $100 compared to their predecessors. While hampering demand, this also means that the impact of that lower demand won’t “immediately translate to lower revenue for Apple,” the report explains.
Apple will report its fiscal Q4 2026 earnings on Monday, November 6. This will provide a look at the first several weeks of iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max demand.
My favorite Apple deals right now:
- AirPods Pro 3 $199 (Reg. $249)
- M5 MacBook Air $1,099 (Reg. $1,299)
- M6 Mac mini: up to $150 off
- AirTag 2: from $22.25 each (Reg. $29)
- AirPods Max 2 $429 (Reg. $549)
Follow Chance: Threads, X, and Instagram
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments