Apple Cuts iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Component Orders as Demand Disappoints

Apple has asked suppliers to reduce parts production for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max following weaker-than-expected demand, according to a report from Nikkei Asia. The order cuts signal that sales of the premium models are coming in below Apple's initial forecasts after the devices launched with a $100 price increase.

The move fits a pattern of softer signals that analysts had begun flagging in recent weeks. Jefferies had noted declining resale prices in the Hong Kong secondary market as a demand indicator, and multiple brokers observed that initial delivery lead times for the iPhone 18 Pro were running shorter than the year-ago period, a sign that pre-order volume was not as strong as it was for the iPhone 17 lineup. JPMorgan had separately flagged third-week lead-time trends as a key variable to watch. The Nikkei report, which cites cuts to parts output rather than finished-unit shipments, suggests Apple is now acting to bring inventory expectations in line with actual sell-through.