The iPhone 16 series was presented by Apple at a special event held in September at Apple Park in California. The latest smartphone lineup from the Cupertino-based tech giant boasts features like the powerful A18 chipset family, improved design, an Action button on all models, and a new dedicated camera control button. Thanks to these factors, sales of the iPhone 16 models are said to have met Apple’s expectations.
iPhone 16 sale
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo provided an update on the iPhone 16 series sales. It is believed that demand for the smartphone series, especially the iPhone 16 Pro model, has so far met Apple’s expectations and its assembly orders remain unchanged
iPhone 16 shipping update
1. The assembly order almost does not change. Suppliers were asked to continue production of the two Pro models during China’s National Day, suggesting that demand for the Pro models has generally met expectations so far.
2. Some component orders…
— Ming-Chi Kuo (@mingchikuo) October 9, 2024
Meanwhile, demand for the iPhone 16 Pro is said to match demand for the iPhone 15 Pro last year. It also benefits from a shorter delivery time than its predecessor, which was reportedly in short supply in its first weeks of sale.
However, this does not apply to base models. According to Kuo, sales of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus “remain weak.” Thus, since mid-November, Apple has reduced orders for components by 3-5 percent, especially for the aforementioned models.
The analyst suggests that Apple’s next move will be to meet demand in the US when Apple Intelligence — a suite of artificial intelligence (AI) features for iPhones and other devices — is rolled out. The AI features are expected to arrive with the iOS 18.1 update later this month, with speculation suggesting that October 28 is the most likely release date.
According to Kuo, iPhone 16 production may remain at 88-89 million units in the fourth quarter of 2024, similar to previously forecast numbers. If this turns out to be true, it will be slightly less than the production number of the iPhone 15 series, which is reported to be around 90-91 million units.
