Apple Cuts iPhone 14 Plus Orders by 40%, Raises iPhone 14 Pro Production: Report

Apple has asked supply chain partners to scale back iPhone 14 Plus production by about 40% amid weaker-than-expected demand for its larger-screened swing at a secondary non-Pro iPhone 14 — reports DigiTimes (via MacRumors).

The iPhone 14 “Plus” replaces the “mini” models from the last two iPhone generations, which weren’t selling all that well, and launched less than two weeks ago.

Apple’s proposition is excellent in theory — you get the bigger screen that you could previously only get on a Pro Max model while only paying $150 over the entry-level iPhone. Unfortunately, the larger screen alone can be a tough sell when customers can get an iPhone 14 Pro with all of Apple’s new bells and whistles for another $150.

According to DigiTimes‘ sources within Apple’s supply chain, assembly and logistics partners have been notified to cut iPhone 14 Plus production and divert resources to iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max orders instead. Total iPhone 14 Plus shipments for 2022 will likely be slashed to around 10 million units, the publication said.

iPhone 14 Plus pre-orders were apparently underwhelming, even though the model had more time to rake in pre-orders and launched much later than the rest of the iPhone 14 lineup. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously said that pre-order numbers for iPhone 14 Plus were worse than last year’s third-generation iPhone SE and iPhone 13 mini.

That said, the iPhone 14 Plus is doing better than the iPhone 13 mini in China. Shipments in other markets have remained flat, however. In spite of the model’s lukewarm sales, Apple is reportedly still planning an iPhone 15 Plus for next year.

Disappointed by lacklustre iPhone 14 Plus sales, Apple is reworking its shipment ratios for the iPhone 14 line. While the company will rein in iPhone 14 Plus orders, upping iPhone 14 Pro production should mean that overall iPhone 14 shipments for 2022 will still hover around Apple’s originally forecasted 90 million units.