People aren't buying the iPhone 18 Pro. At least not in the bulk Apple was hoping for. According to the latest report, Apple has asked suppliers to scale back production of components for the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Apple scales down iPhone 18 Pro production
According to a new report, Apple will scale down iPhone 18 Pro production by 15%. | Image by PhoneArena
The report comes from Nikkei Asia and cites multiple unnamed sources familiar with the matter. According to the report, Apple has cut component orders for the iPhone 18 Pro models by at least 15% this month due to “weaker-than-expected” demand.
Soaring memory prices are another key factor in this, as people are reluctant to pay extra for the new iPhone 18 Pro models.
The report also points out that demand has been pretty low compared to last year, and several factors are involved.
No iPhone 18 base model this year
There's no vanilla iPhone 18 this year. | Image by PhoneArena
Nikkei Asia cites a supply chain manager saying that the demand for iPhone 18 Pro devices has not been as strong as last year. One of the reasons behind this is the lack of the iPhone 18 base model, a key driver when it comes to iPhone sales.
Apple decided to split the launch of the iPhone 18 series, opting for a 2027 launch for the vanilla iPhone 18 and the iPhone 18e, mainly due to component shortages. This leads to weak demand and low sales, creating a vicious cycle.
The main factor, however, is the ongoing chip shortage and memory price hike due to increased demand from data centers.
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Memory prices are skyrocketing
A 12GB LPDDR RAM module costs a whopping $145 now. | Image by Samsung
The latest data from market research company TrendForce showed that 12GB of LPDDR5X memory is now selling for $145–$146, which is a whopping 175% increase year-over-year. These 12GB modules are primarily used in flagship smartphone devices, such as the Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
This trend has forced smartphone manufacturers to hike the prices of their models by at least $100 per unit.
Sadly, this trend is expected to continue into 2027, with more price hikes for smartphones across all market segments.
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Apple is not the only company scaling down production
Samsung is also scaling down production by 20%–30%. | Image by PhoneArena
Apple is the latest company to scale down its smartphone production, as other companies, such as its big rival Samsung, are also battling the same issues.
The Korean company is expected to scale down Galaxy production by 20%–30%, according to Korean business news outlet Money Today.
Samsung is making little to no profit from most of its current models and has decided to limit the damage by producing fewer units.
Samsung was hoping to produce 270 million smartphones this year, but with the latest developments, this figure is closer to 200 million.
Apple won't take a financial hit
The Nikkei Asia report, however, suggests that Apple won't be taking a huge financial hit, as the 10% increase in iPhone 18 Pro prices is expected to offset the fewer units moved. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 in the US, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max has a starting price of $1,299.
The upcoming iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e are both expected to be more expensive than their respective predecessors. Apple retroactively hiked the prices of the iPhone 17 series, and the vanilla iPhone 17 now starts at $899. The model was one of the best iPhone deals at $799.
The iPhone 18e is expected to start at $699, while the vanilla iPhone 18 will most likely mimic the updated $899 price tag of its predecessor. Are we on the verge of a stagnation and the smartphone market crashing?
How much would you pay for the iPhone 18?
Read more about the raising memory prices and struggling smartphone manufacturers here:
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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