iPhone 16 Series Sales Fall Short of Expectations in First Week: Early Employee Discounts a Sign?

iPhone 16 Series Sales Fall Short of Expectations in First Week: Early Employee Discounts a Sign?September 19 - Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has recently written about Apple employees purchasing the iPhone 16 series at employee discounts. This phenomenon has raised eyebrows, as historically, Apple employees typically wait several weeks before being eligible for discounted pricing on new iPhones

iPhone 16 Series Sales Fall Short of Expectations in First Week: Early Employee Discounts a Sign?

September 19 - Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has recently written about Apple employees purchasing the iPhone 16 series at employee discounts. This phenomenon has raised eyebrows, as historically, Apple employees typically wait several weeks before being eligible for discounted pricing on new iPhones. Kuo suggests that this could be one indication of lower-than-expected initial demand for the iPhone 16 series.

According to Kuo's data, pre-orders for the iPhone 16 series in its first weekend reached approximately 37 million units, a decline of around 12.7% compared to the iPhone 15 series during the same period last year. Kuo further analyzes that one of the key reasons for the underwhelming iPhone sales this year is the weaker-than-anticipated demand for the iPhone 16 Pro series.

Moreover, the lack of simultaneous launch of the much-anticipated AppleIntelligence feature with the iPhone 16 series has also contributed to the sales slump. AppleIntelligence, the company's new-generation intelligent assistant, promises smarter user understanding and personalized services. However, it currently only offers English support, with Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish versions not expected until next year.

This delayed release has negatively impacted the appeal of the iPhone 16 series. Many users were eagerly anticipating AppleIntelligence's ability to deliver a more convenient and intelligent user experience, but due to language limitations, they have been forced to postpone their purchase.

Kuo's analysis has sparked concerns about the sales prospects of the iPhone 16 series. While it's still early days, the initial sales performance provides valuable insights into future trends. Apple needs to address the missing AppleIntelligence language versions and take measures to stimulate demand for the iPhone 16 Pro series to secure its overall sales targets for the iPhone 16 series.