Nikkei Asia: Apple Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders Due to Soft Demand and Price Hikes

Apple has cut component production orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max by at least 15% for October due to softer-than-expected consumer demand driven by recent price increases, Nikkei Asia reported on October 9.

Apple Cuts Component Orders for Premium Handsets

Apple has told select suppliers to scale back component production for its newly launched flagship smartphones, turning more conservative on shipments since early September. Two executive-level sources told Nikkei Asia that component orders for October have been cut by 15% to 20% for both premium models compared to original requests. In October alone, we are seeing orders from Apple reducing by 15% to 20% for both the premium models; we don’t know how things would develop from here, one of the executive-level sources said.

Reuters reported that Apple raised prices for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max by $100 compared to their predecessors, bringing starting prices to $1,199 and $1,299 respectively.

Chip Shortages and Staggered Launches Pressure Supply Chains

An anonymous supply chain manager told Nikkei Asia that demand is not as strong as in previous years when all new models were introduced together. This staggered launch strategy involves releasing the base iPhone 18 next spring, leaving the Pro models and the foldable iPhone Duo to debut in autumn without their lower-cost counterpart.

Reuters reported that tech companies have been aggressively acquiring advanced chip-making capacity and memory chips to power artificial intelligence data centers. This broader industry buildout has sparked severe shortages and price hikes. Apple previously increased iPad and MacBook prices in June, stating it could no longer shield customers from soaring memory and storage chip costs.

Price Hikes Hamper Demand Ahead of Earnings Report

While the $100 price increase on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max has hampered consumer demand, Nikkei Asia explained that the impact of lower unit volume will not immediately translate to lower revenue for Apple. The production adjustments affect volumes for some suppliers in October due to differing production lead times, while the outlook for November onward remains unconfirmed.

Apple is scheduled to report its fiscal fourth-quarter 2026 earnings on November 6. That financial update will offer the first official corporate look at sales figures and demand levels during the opening several weeks of availability for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.