The market debut of Apple's latest generation of smartphones is facing its first serious tests, after the company was forced to make adjustments to the supply chain. According to the latest analytical reports and information from the industry, the management in Cupertino has issued official orders to key suppliers to reduce orders for components for the current iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models.
The main reason for this move lies in the weaker-than-expected consumer demand, which is directly related to the serious jump in device prices. In the conditions of a global memory shortage and a jump in chip prices due to the massive redirection of production capacity to artificial intelligence and data centers, the brand's new professional models debuted with a price tag about 10 percent higher than their predecessors. For example, the base iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the US and around €1,450 in Europe, which has made many users reconsider the need for an immediate upgrade.
Although the higher price somewhat compensates for the reduced sales volumes within the financial statements, the reduction of components by about 15 percent highlights the market's sensitivity to the price threshold in the premium segment. Meanwhile, analysts note that some of the adjustments may also be due to a reallocation of resources in view of the upcoming new additions to the brand's portfolio in the spring, but the fact remains - even giants like Apple are already feeling the brunt of global inflation in hardware components.