iPhone 14 Plus Facing No Delay Nearly a Week After Pre-Orders Opened Amid Reports of Low Demand

[Kaikidan]

Maybe the best strategy is a single non-pro model. Both the mini and the plus seem to be unpopular when the Pros get all the new features.

The 3-week delay in its release probably doesn’t help either. It would be as if the iPhone 8 came out 3 weeks after the X.

The biggest problem is that apple is missing the correct demographic, people who wanted the mini where not the people who wanted the cheappest iphone, there is the SE for that, it's people that really wanted the form factor but with all the advantages of the pro even if at a premium, if the mini was launched as the pro mini, instead of default mini, sales probably would be better, same deal with the plus, for a little more you get an device with an already big enough screen but with better cameras (which people care the most about nowadays) and more shiny new features.

 

[crisss1205]

One of the main reasons for the delay of the iPhone 14 Plus is that it is the only phone in the lineup that is currently not FCC approved. Apple is probably manufacturing them at the same rate or similar rates to the iPhone 14 which still has September shipping dates.

To me, this is just giving Apple time to keep manufacturing and stockpiling 14 Plus units while they wait for FCC certification.

 

[Rogifan]

It's a pretty hard sell considering it is not much of an upgrade from the 13, and you are not getting dynamic island. Most people are probably doing some sort of 0% financing, so are willing to spend an extra ~$8/month for a pro variant. I'm guessing the regular iPhone 14 sales will be lackluster.

How many people upgrade their phone every year? I do but I’m sure I’m in the minority. And I have the Pro model. I doubt Apple expects a lot of 13 owners to buy the 14.

 

[Quackington]

Hooray. Mini owners assemble!!

Revenge of the Mini ;-)

Before anyone flips their lid, this post is in jest.

 

[Rogifan]

If you want a big iPhone 14 you buy the Pro Max, youre gonna pay more but the full pack. If you just want a big iPhone you just buy an iPhone 13 Pro Max

Apple no longer sells the 13 Pro Max.

 

[subjonas]

I'm sure the non-Pro models will outsell the Pro models over the year. I'm not 100% sure if it will be the 14 or 14 Plus, although I lean toward it being the 14 Plus.


I knew somebody would post that, but it's really quite foolish to smirk about that. iPhone mini sales were absolutely abysmal, whereas it's more than likely the Plus will be a high seller over the course of the year.

An illustrative snapshot was the April 2022 summary of iPhone sales. The top 4 worldwide selling phones were the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 12. After that were a bunch of Android phones, but the 13 mini didn't even make the top 10. In terms of percentage of iPhones sold, I think the iPhone 13 was something like 38%, whereas the iPhone 13 mini was 3%.

It was wholly expected that Apple would ditch the mini. Just about nobody wanted it.


This really only works in the first month, unless a carrier has excess inventory, since the 13 Pro Max has been discontinued. Or if you buy used, but that doesn't count toward sales numbers.

If you say so. 🤷‍♂️ If it has better sales, I will stop smirking. But for now, I smirk.

 

[V.K.]

Apple cancels the Mini because of weak sales—I frown. Apple replaces it with the opposite, a Plus—I frown more. The Plus has weak sales—I smirk.

Mini had weak sales? Is that true? I am SO very happy with my 13 mini. Love the size and don't want anything larger. Note even remotely tempted by any of this years' models. Hope they bring mini back.

 

[EugW]

I think apple had great success with the mini. They have access to the best market research possible and we’re likely fully aware the mini wouldn’t sell. The real purpose of the mini was to push up the price of the regular 12/13 in an at the time non inflationary environment (notice the pros didn’t rise in price) and it worked. Now the mini is gone but that new price point is permanent. Mission accomplished I’d say.

Not according to supply chain numbers. There were repeated reports about iPhone mini production having been slashed because sales didn't meet even Apple's already low expectations.

The biggest problem is that apple is missing the correct demographic, people who wanted the mini where not the people who wanted the cheappest iphone, there is the SE for that, it's people that really wanted the form factor but with all the advantages of the pro even if at a premium, if the mini was launched as the pro mini, instead of default mini, sales probably would be better, same deal with the plus, for a little more you get an device with an already big enough screen but with better cameras (which people care the most about nowadays) and more shiny new features.

Well, I don't think a Pro mini would have sold well either. Just about everyone enthusiast reviewer who bought the mini said the battery life sucked. However, if you want better battery life you a bigger battery, and thus a bigger device.

Mini had weak sales? Is that true? I am SO very happy with my 13 mini. Love the size and don't want anything larger. Note even remotely tempted by any of this years' models. Hope they bring mini back.

Yes, mini sales were absolutely terrible. The iPhone 13 (non-Pro) outsold the 13 mini something like 13 to 1.

 

[blairh]

The Plus will be just fine when it’s available in stores. Right now all the hype is on the Pro models. I never expected the Plus to have high demand 3 weeks before it’s even shipping.

 

[seat_hydrant]

iPhone mini sends its regards

Spoiler

God I wish they didn’t discontinue the mini for this

 

[arkitect]

What this tells me is Apple just needs to have three flagship models:

- 5.5 to 5.8 standard iPhone
- 6.1 iPhone Pro
- 6.7 iPhone Pro Max

Make the 5.4 mini form factor take over the next generation iPhone SE slot. For those who just want a cheaper, smaller iPhone without all the bells and whistles.

Why always this? Smaller does not mean cheaper.

Personally, I want a smaller iPhone with bells and whistles.

I don't care about the bloody price.

Apparently this is very difficult for people to grasp.

The biggest problem is that apple is missing the correct demographic, people who wanted the mini where not the people who wanted the cheappest iphone, there is the SE for that, it's people that really wanted the form factor but with all the advantages of the pro even if at a premium, if the mini was launched as the pro mini, instead of default mini, sales probably would be better, same deal with the plus, for a little more you get an device with an already big enough screen but with better cameras (which people care the most about nowadays) and more shiny new features.

Yes!
Finally someone gets it.
👍

 

[Wokis]

I do think this model will pick up some steam once prospecting buyers can’t find a 13 Pro/Max for a similar price from third parties anymore. But still, yeah. Funny how it seemingly is less popular than the mini.

Anectdotaly I see the minis everywhere when out and about. If I wasn’t reading macrumors I’d thought it had sold alright. Still thinking the mini might get picked up again once they can fit something new in it.

 

[Rogifan]

"Apple's product segmentation strategy for standard models fails this year."

Conjecture from Kuo. Always a knee-slapper.

Seriously this guy is a joke and the fact that rumor sites report on every thing he says as though it’s newsworthy is also a joke.

 

[currocj]

I just read a report that Tesla has been the most shorted stock since 2020, until now. Apple just took the most shorted mantle.

Rough times ahead for the smartphone leader. As economic tough times are ahead (due to trillions being wasted by our government), people will pass on that $1100 upgrade that gets you 3% better this or that.

 

[EugW]

Why always this? Smaller does not mean cheaper.

Personally, I want a smaller iPhone with bells and whistles.

I don't care about the bloody price.

Apparently this is very difficult for people to grasp.

I think what's difficult is for the few Pro mini supporters on forums like this to grasp that they are very small niche of the overall market.

I do think this model will pick up some steam once prospecting buyers can’t find a 13 Pro/Max for a similar price from third parties anymore. But still, yeah. Funny how it seemingly is less popular than the mini.

Anectdotaly I see the mini’s everywhere when out and about. If I wasn’t reading macrumors I’d thought it had sold alright. Still thinking the mini might get picked up again once they can fit something new in it.

I don't think I've seen a 13 mini in the wild in the last several months. I mean I wasn't specifically looking for them, but every time I've noticed someone pulling out a smaller iPhone, it's been an older model, not a 13 mini.

 

[Nozuka]

I kinda hate that we ever got a Mini at all.
We might never get another one and i will forever be disappointed about it, now that i just know that it is the perfect size for me.

Would have been easier to switch from the X to the 12/13/14 whatever, than from the Mini to anything with these sizes/weights

 

[antiprotest]

But it's not coming until next month to begin with, having a whole additional month to produce the first batch, so there is no exact comparison to the other models in terms of delays.

 

[arkitect]

I kinda hate that we ever got a Mini at all.
We might never get another one and i will forever be disappointed about it, now that i just know that it is the perfect size for me.

I'm just glad Apple did give us the 12 and 13 Mini.
But, yes, agree that the disappointment is real.

 

[bobcomer]

Not a huge surprise when the pro model is only $100 USD more.

Yeah, that's what I don't get. It's expensive enough to be high end, but only for another $100 you can get it all. It would have to be way more than $100 less to sell well.

 

[cocky jeremy]

No one that pre orders iPhones wants to wait 3 extra weeks from when the other 3 models release. They either go to the smaller, cheaper 14, or go to a Pro model.

 

[DarthDon]

Don't buy the plus - 13 pro max is much better - and cheaper. Wait 3 months and start looking for deals in the internet. It will safe you hundreds of $ or €.

 

[2540497]

Amazing - amazing… a company of Apple’s size and stature can’t get this right.

 

[ttyRazor]

This approach would be much more defective for a 15” MacBook Air where there’s a much bigger cost difference to the larger Pro model.

This might have worked back in the 12 series where the biggest difference was a zoom lens and more weight, but the 14 Pro has pulled so far ahead feature-wise and the prices are so close that the non-pros have very little appeal.

 

[boak]

Is the upselling really working though? How long are the delays for Pro models?

My hunch is that customers are simply not upgrading, instead of choosing the Pro models.

 

[bobcomer]

Is Apple's strategy really a failure if those who considered the 14 Plus decided 'you know, I may as well go with the Pro, it's only a 100 more and I get a lot more features"?

Yes actually, the time and dollars spent in designing and marketing the plus is money down the toilet -- when they probably would have sold even more Pro Max's anyway.