Apple breathed a sight of relief when it saw its iPhone preorder numbers. Previously thought to collapse, the numbers have instead remained quite high compared to previous years.
The Chinese market in particular saw a large number of pre-orders. Lead times for new iPhones is also quite extensive, showing both popular appeal and supply chain issues. CNBC report:
Lead time and preorders for Apple’s latest iPhone are “better than feared,” Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in a note Monday.
Lead times for the iPhone 15 Pro Max are averaging five to six weeks, the analysts wrote, “the longest of any model launched in the last 7 years.” And reports from Chinese news agencies “suggest solid early pre-order demand for the iPhone 15,” they added, despite investor concerns that have focused on China.
Users have generally trended towards the iPhone Pro Max, Apple’s top line item. Smaller sized iPhone Pros have been on the decline, while the general iPhone 15s have seen similar numbers. Forbes dives deeper:
Pre-orders began last Friday—although there was a clever way to jump to the head of the line—and seem to be going strong. According to Ming-Chi Kuo from TFI Securities in a new Medium post, demand for certain models is strong. Specifically, for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, it’s “robust, as previously expected, outpacing last year’s iPhone 14 Pro Max.” That’s why delivery dates for some versions have already slipped into November. But it’s not just down to stronger demand, it seems. Kuo says, “Wait times for the iPhone 15 Pro Max are significantly longer than for other models, but this is more than just due to high demand. Current iPhone 15 Pro Max shipments are lower due to a later mass production schedule, and its current production challenges are more pronounced than other models.”
And one big surprise, for me at least: “Demand for the iPhone 15 Pro is weaker than last year, with one possible reason being a shift of more premium users to the iPhone 15 Pro Max this year.” Kuo’s logic makes perfect sense but there’s still some surprise here. In the U.K. for instance, the 15 Pro is priced at $1,237 (£999), which is $123 (£100) less than the iPhone 14 Pro—this is one of the most under-reported stories of the new iPhone.
Apple’s yearly revenue is heavily based on iPhone sales, accounting for nearly half of it. Its new iOS 17 software has also received praise, making the iPhone more productive for its users.
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