iPhone 14 Plus a failure? Kuo says lacklustre demand for iPhone 14 as well

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus may not be the blockbuster hits as Apple would have hoped prior to their launch. Based on the recent pre-order data obtained by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, it is said that the iPhone 14 and especially the iPhone 14 Plus have performed “bad” with regards to pre-order results. In comparison, the iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro have seen better pre-orders this year, even higher than those of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

In a statement to The Medium, Kuo says, “Pre-order results of iPhone 14 Pro Max, Pro, and two standard models are good, neutral, and bad, respectively (vs. iPhone 13 series).” He says that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will be in stocks on launch day, reflecting the lacklustre demand. In fact, it is said that the pre-order demand for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus is lower than that of the iPhone SE 3 and iPhone 13 Mini, which were said to perform badly in early 2022.

iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus not off to a good start

Kuo goes on to say, “Apple may cut iPhone 14 and 14 Plus shipment forecasts for November and beyond within a few weeks if the demand for the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus doesn't improve after the launch.” That's not all. The production cut could be done in a few weeks' time if the demand doesn't pick up.

“Based on the current pre-order result, strong demand for the iPhone 14 Pro models will likely last until at least November. But suppose Apple doesn't increase iPhone Pro orders afterward. In that case, the potential order cut of iPhone 14 and 14 Plus could offset Apple's revenue growth from a better iPhone product mix (iPhone ASP increase) in late 4Q22 or 1Q23,” adds Kuo.

On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have seen stronger demand in the pre-orders. There is now a wait of over four weeks, which suggests the demand is high. Kuo even says that Apple could be increasing the production of the Pro models this year if the demand rises.

Note that it is only the iPhone 14 that will go on sale in September. The iPhone 14 Plus is said to go on sale in early-October and its demand could pick up once it reaches the stores. However, the higher starting price of Rs. 89,900 could put off several buyers, considering the differences between the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 are minimal this year, and the Plus only has a larger display as well as a bigger battery. The iPhone 14 uses the old A15 Bionic chip and the same 60Hz OLED display as its predecessor, which may annoy buyers.