Apple has reportedly cut iPhone 18 Pro orders by up to 20%, a sign this year’s price hikes are cooling demand.
Apple told some suppliers to cut component production for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, according to a new report from Nikkei Asia. Sources say Apple has been more conservative on shipments since early September, with two saying October component orders were slashed by at least 15% from the original request.
One executive-level source put this month’s cuts at 15% to 20% for both models. Not every supplier will feel it in October due to differing lead times, and it’s unclear whether more cuts come in November.
Soaring memory chip costs forced the price increases behind the slowdown. In the U.S., the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299, each $100 more than last year. Canadians, naturally, got the bigger bump: $150, putting the iPhone 18 Pro at $1,749 and the Pro Max at $1,899. “It’s just too expensive for a smartphone,” one source told the outlet.
Apple’s split launch schedule may play a part, too. The standard iPhone 18 doesn’t arrive until spring, and a supply chain manager said demand since August is “not as strong as previous years” when every model launched together.
UBS analysts also noted this week that iPhone 18 Pro delivery wait times are shrinking in more than 30 markets, echoing the lukewarm pre-order start last month. Fewer phones won’t necessarily mean less money for Apple, since every model now costs at least 10% more than last year’s.
One source expects a similar fate for the iPhone Duo, Apple’s $2,999 CAD foldable that rolls out on October 23. Did this year’s price hike keep you from upgrading?
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The Duo is way too much for a phone. That will be a bomb. As for the Pro and Max, it is within reach based on inflation and previous years.
Yet every major retailer is sold out and even Apple Canada has an almost 30-day wait list for the 18 Pro Max if one were to order today (2TB models excluded).