The iPhone 16 series had a rocky start with first-weekend pre-order sales estimated at 37 million units, Ming-Chi Kuo, said in his latest analysis report. This marks a 12.7 percent decline compared to the iPhone 15 series’ launch last year. The primary reason for this dip seems to be lower-than-expected demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, the noted Apple analyst reported.
One of the key indicators of this drop is the significantly shorter delivery times for the iPhone 16 Pro compared to last year’s 15 Pro. While production ramped up ahead of pre-orders, the numbers suggest demand is simply not matching Apple’s expectations, leading to this year-over-year (YoY) decline in sales.
A critical factor behind the underwhelming response to the iPhone 16 Pro models is the delayed release of one of its major selling points—Apple Intelligence. The missing feature at launch, coupled with intense competition in China, continues to hamper demand for Apple’s flagship products in key markets.
In India, the iPhone 16 Pro costs Rs 15,000 less than what the iPhone 15 Pro did at launch (Rs 1,19,900 versus Rs 1,34,900). The 16 Pro Max is cheaper, too, by nearly the same margin, starting at Rs 1,44,900 for the 256GB storage variant.
The 16 Pro models have a bigger screen, a more powerful A18 Pro processor with a 6-core GPU, a new 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a larger battery with the 16 Pro Max billed to offer the best battery life on an iPhone yet.
Meanwhile, the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models saw a YoY increase in pre-orders, though their overall impact on total shipments remains limited, Kuo opined.
Unlike the iPhone 15, the standard iPhone 16 models support Apple Intelligence as well thanks to new Apple A18 silicon and increase in RAM to 8GB. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus also get the Action button which was exclusive to the Pro models last year. Additionally, there’s a new Camera control button available across the line-up that lets you shoot photos and videos while an upcoming Apple Intelligence feature called Visual Intelligence will let you search for things by simply pointing the camera at it.
Despite the preliminary decline, Apple’s production plans remain steady for now. There’s still hope that sales will improve with the eventual release of Apple Intelligence features beginning in October and the upcoming holiday season. If these don’t boost demand significantly, Apple might have to introduce more aggressive strategies in 2025 to regain momentum.
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