Last Friday, September 9, Apple opened pre-orders for the entire iPhone 14 line. And if the new “firmware,” according to well-known insider Ming-Chi Kuo has shown a good start, the base iPhone 14 and its Plus version will probably not be as popular.
According to Mr. Kuo, the usual fourteenth models will not be in short supply – they took 45% of the total circulation of new iPhones. The basic iPhone 14 can be bought without any problems in stores on September 16 because it is not as well pre-ordered as the “programs”: the iPhone 14 Pro Max is ordered “good,” and the 14 Pro is “neutral,” that is, close to the expected performance.
The 14 Plus, which appeared for the first time, also does not please the company with the number of orders. Also, Ming-Chi claims that the iPhone 13 mini and even the “unwanted iPhone SE (2022)” became more popular than the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus! And Apple has significantly adjusted orders for the Mini, and the new SE as the company can’t keep up with demand for both handsets.
Consumers are now faced with a rather tricky choice: buy the iPhone 12, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, or iPhone 14 Plus. For many, smartphones differ only in size, and all other characteristics become just numbers on pieces of paper. At the same time, the prices are very different:
| 64 GB | 128 GB | 256 GB | 512 GB | 1 TB | |
| iPhone 12 | $599 / €799 | $649 / €849 | $749 / €969 | — | |
| iPhone 13 mini | — | $599 / €799 | $699 / €919 | $899 / €1149 | |
| iPhone 13 | — | $699 / €899 | $799 / €1019 | $999 / €1249 | |
| iPhone 14 | — | $799 / €999 | $899 / €1129 | $1099 / €1389 | |
| iPhone 14 Plus | — | $899 / €1149 | $999 / €1279 | $1199 / €1539 | |
| iPhone 14 Pro | — | $999 / €1299 | $1099 / €1429 | $1299 / €1689 | $1499 / €1949 |
| iPhone 14 Pro | — | $1099 / €1449 | $1199 / €1579 | $1399 / €1839 | $1599 / €2099 |
And the 14 Plus is a strange smartphone: it’s $100 cheaper than the new iPhone 14 Pro, which has a better camera, screen, and a further notch shape that promises Dynamic Island – why not pay extra for these things?
Mr. Kuo believes “Apple’s product segmentation strategy for standard models is failing this year.” And it’s true – this year’s lineup looks very strange:
There is probably another reason for the low popularity of the iPhone 14 Plus – its late appearance on the market. Due to production delays, it will only be available for sale on October 7th. I talked about this earlier:
Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple will adjust orders for the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus production in November – just a month and a half after the launch of pre-orders for both smartphones.