Is The iPhone 16 Pro A Flop? Preorders Suggest Lower Demand Than Expected

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Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 lineup became available to pre-order over the weekend, but it seems as if even the inclusion of Apple Intelligence isn’t enough to move the needle, sales-wise. This is according to Apple expert Ming-Chi Kuo, who used his sources within the company’s supply chain alongside other available data to come to this conclusion.

According to Kuo, demand for iPhone 16 models in these first few days of availability is lower than that of the previous iPhone 15 models. The company is seeing a year-over-year decline of nearly 13% led by weak demand for the iPhone 16 Pro. This has led to a shortening of estimated delivery times—great news for customers excited to get their new iPhones, but rather less exciting to Apple shareholders.

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Additionally, the iPhone 16 Pro is being weighed down by the fact that Apple Intelligence won’t be a fully baked product by the time the phone launches. Kuo refers to it as “one of the key factors for the lower-than-expected demand.” Apple will be slowly adding new features over the next few months, making it more difficult to use the AI-powered functions as a selling point.

It's unlikely that this softer-than-expected demand during the opening weekend of pre-orders changes Apple’s production or marketing plans in the short term. However, if sales don’t see the necessary improvement over the busy holiday buying season, then Kuo does expect Apple to "make changes in product strategies in 2025 to stimulate market demand.”

This slow start for iPhone 16 Pro sales could also mean some sweet deals are coming next year for those who are willing to hold off on buying the latest iPhone. May the deals be ever in your favor.