The iPhone 15 range might not be the smash hit that Apple had initially hoped for, according to a fresh prediction, with production orders said to have been cut.
Analyst Jeff Pu has issued a new note to investors (seen by 9to5Mac) that claims Apple is already cutting production of the iPhone 15 line less than a month out from its unveiling.
He claims that Apple will build 77 million iPhone 15 units by the end of 2023, which would be a drop from the 83 million that had been predicted.
You might think that this simply relates to the production issues that have been rumoured, and that certainly seems to be a factor. Pu confirms that Apple is struggling with supply problems relating to Sony’s camera sensors, as well as the Pro line’s new titanium frame and thinner bezels.
However, there also appears to be some internal worries over how many iPhone units Apple will concern – or, to put it in analyst terms, there are some “demand concerns”.
It’s being rumoured that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will be more expensive than their predecessors, which could account for some of that lower demand.
As the related report points out, Apple hasn’t had a particularly great Q3 by its own exemplary standards. The company reported a drop in iPhone sales revenue for the quarter, with sales in its home market in particular taking a dip.
It seems Apple is steeling itself for a bit of a downturn with the iPhone 15 line, though these things are all relative. The iPhone 15 is still going to be the biggest phone release of the year, after all.
You know the drill by now. Everything’s getting more expensive – including smartphones – and people have much less spare money to spend. All of which makes us think that the next iPhone SE model could be a really big hitter if it’s sufficiently compelling.
