When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn 
According to pre-order analysis, demand for the iPhone 16 Pro variants is lower than expected.
Apple has begun accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 16 series in the U.S. and a few other countries starting last Friday (September 13).
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released an analysis of the iPhone 16 series based on pre-order results from Apple’s official website and a supply chain survey. The analysis shows that pre-orders for the iPhone 16 Pro are down 27% compared to the iPhone 15 Pro. Meanwhile, pre-orders for the iPhone 16 Pro Max are down 16% compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The report also indicates that this year, users are showing more interest in the non-Pro variants. The iPhone 16 Plus has seen a sizable increase of 48% in pre-orders, while the iPhone 16 has received 10% more pre-orders compared to their respective predecessors. The increase for the iPhone 16 Plus suggests that users are looking for a larger iPhone but are satisfied with non-Pro features.
The lower demand for the Pro models has affected the overall pre-order numbers for the iPhone 16 series. The series has received pre-orders for 37 million units, which is 12.7% lower than the first weekend pre-order numbers for the iPhone 15 series.
According to Kuo’s report, the primary reason for the decline in demand for the iPhone 16 Pro models is that Apple Intelligence is not included with the devices when they ship. This feature will become available to compatible devices in October with the iOS 18.1 update. Additionally, Apple is facing tough competition in China from brands like Samsung and Honor, which is also contributing to the decline in pre-orders for the iPhone 16 Pro models.
