We've heard a lot about iPhone 15 demand in recent weeks, especially when it comes to China. After Bloomberg reported disappointing iPhone 15 sales in one of Apple's biggest markets, analyst Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities confirmed the news. He also shared details about what to expect from the iPhone 16 lineup.
Demand for the iPhone 15 in China is not strong enough
In an investor note seen by 9to5Mac, Jeff Pu noted that demand for the iPhone 15 is lower than demand for iPhone 14 over the same period last year. Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the most popular model among buyers, followed by the iPhone 15 Pro. For the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, demand is weaker.
Pu notes that less expensive models are easy to find in stores around the world and will be in stock immediately. Of course, each region has its own characteristics, and there is a lot going on in China right now.
In China, the iPhone faces stiff competition from Chinese smartphones, especially the recently launched Huawei Mate 60. The phone features a 6.8-inch display with ultra-thin bezels, high-resolution cameras and a 5,000mAh battery. Prices start at 5,999 yen (about $819), which is $200 less than the iPhone 15 Pro costs there.
Huawei shipped 240 million smartphones in 2019, 100 million of them in China alone. However, due to US sanctions, supplies decreased significantly in subsequent years. But according to Pu, demand for Huawei's latest smartphones in China is “much higher than expected.”
For Apple, this certainly poses a risk. China accounted for 22% of total iPhone shipments in the first half of 2023, making it one of the most important regions for Apple. Assuming the country's iPhone market share falls by 4.5%, that would amount to about 12 million lost iPhone sales.
- Tim Cook meets with China's Commerce Minister amid reports of disappointing iPhone 15 sales
- Tim Cook meets with China's Commerce Minister amid reports of disappointing iPhone 15 sales
- Tim Cook meets with China's Commerce Minister li>
At the same time, iPhone sales in the US remain strong and Apple is also betting on increased interest in premium smartphones in India, as well as a “seasonal recovery” on the European market to balance the situation. Libra.
iPhone 16 rumors
A few days ago, Jeff Pu already shared some details about what to expect from the iPhone 16. According to the analyst, next year's Pro models will feature a faster 5G modem, Wi-Fi 7, and a new 48-megapixel camera. ultra wide angle lens. On the contrary, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will receive some of the technologies introduced in the iPhone 15 Pro, such as Wi-Fi 6e.
Following the trend of last year, Apple installed the A16 Bionic chip. of the iPhone 14 Pro inside the regular iPhone 15, and the iPhone 15 Pro received a new 3nm A17 Pro. Because of the “Pro” name, many believed that Apple would develop a non-Pro version of its chips for the mid-range iPhone in the future, and it appears to be the case.
However, Pu said that instead of developing a less powerful chip based on the A17 All iPhone 16 Pro models will be equipped with A18 family chips.
The analyst highlighted all the overheating issues associated with the iPhone 15 Pro, and in his opinion, this is partly due to the poor design of the A17 Pro chip, which is not much more powerful or efficient than its predecessor, despite being built on a 3nm process .
Best comment from InspiredCode
Aren't there 400 -500K Vision Pro headsets — exactly the numbers that were initially expected? It has long been known that the maximum annual production capacity of Sony displays that Apple uses is 1000 thousand units, and they need two displays in each headset.
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In particular, the A17 Pro manufactured by TSMC is based on the production a process known as “N3B”. This process was developed specifically for Apple chips, while the N3E process, which will be available to all TSCM customers, is not yet ready. However, N3E will bring some improvements, such as higher clock speeds and lower power consumption.
Therefore, the analyst believes that Apple will create A18 and A18 Pro chips for iPhone 16 models, both based on chips about the N3E process. Even before the announcement of the iPhone 15 Pro, there were rumors that Apple did not plan to use N3B chips for long and would switch to N3E in 2024.
Apple Vision Pro
In the same post, Jeff Pu also talked about Apple Vision Pro. His sources in Apple's supply chain said the company expects to ship 400,000 to 500,000 units of the headset in 2024, well below its original forecast.
Even so, interest in AR/VR devices is growing. , Apple Vision could become a powerful platform in the future, especially with the introduction of a less expensive model.
- Tim Cook meets with China's Commerce Minister amid reports of disappointing iPhone 15 sales
