Early last month, Apple held its autumn product launch event themed "Surprise and shine," introducing the new generation iPhone 18 Pro series and its first foldable design, the iPhone Duo, among other new products. The starting prices for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are 9,999 yuan and 10,999 yuan respectively. Due to a significant increase in storage costs over the past year, Apple had to raise product pricing, increasing it by 1,000 yuan compared to the previous generation. However, compared to other smartphone brands, Apple's situation is much better, at least on the surface, and the impact on sales does not seem to be that significant.
According to Notebookcheck, insiders recently revealed that Apple has instructed suppliers to reduce production of components for the iPhone 18 Pro series. October orders were reduced by at least 15% compared to the original plan, with the possibility of expanding to 20%. Rumors suggest that sharply rising DRAM costs have suppressed demand, leading Apple to be more cautious about product shipments, and actual demand is weaker than in previous years.
Some market analysts have pointed out that sales of the iPhone 18 Pro series are not poor. Apple's adjustment in procurement volume may not be closely related to this, but rather tied to the launch schedule of new products. This year, Apple adjusted its release plan, launching only high-end models in September for the first time, while the iPhone 18 and the new iPhone Air are expected to arrive next spring. This means that component procurement will likely increase only by the end of this year at the earliest, and the procurement plan for iPhone 18 Pro series components also differs from previous years.
Considering the current storage market conditions and Apple's upcoming new iPhone releases, it may take a few more months to see clear market trends. However, some analysts stick to their view, stating that even the cheapest iPhone 18 Pro model is already expensive enough to make many consumers hesitate, making it more likely that sales expectations were not met.