Apple Rethinking iPhone 15 Plus Production After Worst Failure of iPhone 14 Plus

Apple is reportedly considering reassessing the manufacturing of the iPhone 15 Plus and adding something else to the lineup, majorly due to the utter failure of the iPhone 14 Plus. The iPhone 14 series launched in September and includes the iPhone 14, 14 Pro, 14 Plus, and 14 Pro Max, and while the demand for the iPhone 14 Pro models has been beyond expectations, the non-pro vanilla iPhone 14 models have underperformed. 

Apple has been forced to rethink its iPhone lineup for 2023 as Apple has had difficulties shifting iPhone 14 Plus units. Such is the apparent lack of demand for the new model that Apple has already ceased production just two weeks after launching the device.

Apple is also considering altering the pricing strategy for its future iPhone models and may potentially adjust the pricing in a different way than it has in the past. There is speculation that the company may lower the price of the Plus model in the 2023 lineup. Currently, the price of the iPhone 14 Plus starts at $800, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max has a starting price of $999.

Apple cut iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus production last month because of poor sales, with Foxconn told to focus on the iPhone 14 Pro series instead. 

iPhone 14 Plus only hit stores on October 7, but pre-orders for the $900 model were open for much of September. Apple prioritized shipping the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max last month. iPhone 14 Plus is a new price segment in the flagship iPhone lineup, replacing the $200 cheaper iPhone 13 mini which was also an underperformer. iPhone 12 mini sales were reportedly so lackluster that Apple shifted gears toward selling a larger model long before the iPhone 14 Plus was announced.

The Information is reporting that Apple is seemingly less certain about customer demand for the iPhone 14 with a larger screen. Supply chain sources tell Wayne Ma that Apple has asked at least one assembler to “immediately halt [iPhone 14 Plus] production.” Meanwhile, Ma reports that two Apple suppliers “that rely on the parts and assemble them into larger modules” are lowering production by 70% and 90%.

Possible factors at play here include the rising cost of everyday living due to inflation and a weaker-than-average global economy for a number of factors. Apple has also positioned the iPhone 14 Plus at a logical but tough price point; iPhone 14 costs $799 and has a fairly large display. iPhone 14 Plus for $899 has an even larger display, but no other differences. That compares to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, priced at $999 and $1099 respectively, which feature more advanced camera systems and a redesigned sensor layout.

Despite the early signs of weak demand, The Information reports that Apple intends to press forward with an iPhone 15 Plus variant next fall. Early reviewers have favored longer battery life with the Plus model that’s priced $200 below the Max model with a similar screen size.

According to The Information, it has learned that Apple has already told some suppliers to cease producing iPhone 14 Plus-specific components. Citing supply chain sources, the website claims that production will not re-commence until after Apple re-evaluates demand. Reputedly, some suppliers are building between 70-90% fewer iPhone 14 Plus units than Apple originally forecast. Still, Apple is alleged to have committed to introducing an iPhone 15 Plus next year alongside the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

On the one hand, the iPhone 14 Plus offers few advantages over the iPhone 14 but costs US$100 more than its smaller sibling. On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Plus is a considerably less capable iPhone than the Pro Max but for only a US$200 saving. While there is a greater price gap between the iPhone 14 Plus and the iPhone 14 Pro Max than the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 14, adding US$200 to US$899 gets you a superior display, a newer chipset, and improved rear cameras.

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