Apple has reportedly reduced orders for iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max components by at least 15% as rising memory costs and higher prices weigh on early demand.
Apple has asked some suppliers to scale back output of parts for its newly launched iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, according to Nikkei Asia, as higher memory chip costs and steeper handset prices appear to be weighing on demand. The report said component orders for October were cut by at least 15% from the level originally requested, and that Apple has taken a more cautious approach to shipments since early September.
The move comes at a time when the industry is under pressure from artificial intelligence infrastructure spending, which has diverted advanced chip-making capacity and lifted prices for memory and storage components. Reuters noted that Apple itself raised iPad and MacBook prices in June, saying it could no longer absorb the rising cost of memory and storage chips linked to the expansion of AI data centres. Those same cost pressures are now feeding through to smartphones, where margins are tighter and consumer demand is more sensitive to price increases.
Nikkei Asia reported that softer demand has been visible from late August through October, although some of that weakness may reflect Apple’s altered launch schedule rather than purely weaker interest in the products. The company introduced the latest iPhone line last month, alongside its foldable handset, the Duo. Pricing also moved higher: the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the Pro Max at $1,299, each $100 more than the comparable iPhone 17 models.
The latest order cuts add to signs that Apple is being more selective about production as it balances launch pricing, component costs and demand trends. Analyst commentary cited by MacRumors earlier this month described pre-order demand for the Pro models as lukewarm, with some of the softness attributed to limited specification upgrades and higher prices. If the Nikkei report is accurate, the production adjustment suggests Apple is already responding to that weaker-than-expected take-up.
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