Report: Apple cuts iPhone 18 Pro production due to ‘soft demand’

Chance Miller | Oct 9 2026 - 5:37 am PT

The iPhone 18 Pro is selling well in China for three reasons | Photo shows the two models in burgundy

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 BlueLamp

Liked by 23 people

Let's be honest, these corporations have convinced people that they need to pay £1,000 to £2,000 for a phone, something that makes and receives calls. They keep hiking prices and increasing their profit margins, and people keep paying. It's become the new normal to spend this much on a phone. We're all fools, myself included. Every year, there's a completely insignificant spec bump that changes absolutely nothing, yet we keep buying phones that offer no meaningful improvements. I wonder when people will finally say enough is enough and stick with their perfectly good phones for an average of 5 to 6 years.

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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.