Apple is confident its latest iPhone series smartphones will collectively get 17 million pre-orders. The company is about to launch the iPhone 16 lineup today at the "It's Glowtime" event.
Recent reports have claimed that the demand for the iPhone 16 lineup is expected to be more than the standard models. This could primarily be because Apple iOS smartphone users could upgrade to the 'Pro' models in large numbers.
A new report claims the company has ensured the production of up to 17 million units to meet the pre-order wave. Apple seems quite confident that multiple hardware upgrades and features will drive demand.
Apple's "It's Glowtime" event is in a few hours. The company should launch the iPhone 16 series of iOS smartphones, which should include the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
According to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 16 shipments estimate has increased to 88-89 million units. From the 17 million iPhone 16 units estimated to be pre-ordered, the base model could account for 26%.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max could be the most popular device from the lineup this year. Moreover, it would command a similar market share as the Pro and Pro Max variants from earlier generations. According to estimates, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max could account for 30% and 38% of total volume.
Some reports have claimed that the base model and the top-end model of the iPhone 16 would be the hot-sellers. In other words, the iPhone 16 Plus will likely be the least in demand. Kuo suggested it will account for a measly 6% of the sales volume.
According to Kuo, the pre-order period will be the most important for Apple. He claims Apple will sell the most devices during this time.
However, as time progresses and the retail sales period approaches, the euphoria and surge will witness a steeper decline than last year. Kuo estimates before 2024 ends, Apple may cumulatively sell around 63 million iPhone units, which is a 7% YoY (Year-over-Year) decline compared to the same period last year.
Interestingly, Apple is introducing the low-cost iPhone SE 4 with 5G capabilities. This device could be one of the best value-for-money iOS smartphones with Apple Intelligence. Some reports suggest this smartphone may steal the thunder from the iPhone 16 series if priced aggressively.