Expensive and heavy, with bugs to boot: clouds gather over iPhone 18 Pro’s sales prospects

[Financial News] Apple Inc.’s iPhone 18 Pro series is showing signs of a shaky start. The domestic number-porting market contracted in September, the month the new models launched, while signs have also emerged overseas that Apple Inc. has cut component orders. Higher prices, now around 2 million won, have coincided with controversy over a “panic-full” error that surfaced soon after launch. Demand from consumers waiting for the first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, has also drawn attention to the sales outlook.■Fewer number port-ins and reduced component orders...price pressuresAccording to the Korea Telecommunications Operators Association (KTOA) on the 15th, 596,599 mobile numbers were ported in September, down 12.3% from 680,346 the previous month. The figure was also down 7.3% from the same month last year. The number-porting market, which had remained in the 600,000s per month from June to August, contracted in September, when the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max launched.
Number-porting statistics cover the overall market, including switches between mobile virtual network operators, and do not directly show iPhone sales. Still, it is notable that the market, which had heated up with the launch of Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Z series, weakened in September and failed to rebound even with the release of new iPhone models.
Signs pointing to a possible slowdown in demand have also emerged in overseas supply chains. Reuters reported on the 9th, citing Nikkei Asia, that Apple Inc. had asked some suppliers to reduce production of components for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. October component orders were reportedly at least 15% below the original plan. However, further confirmation is needed to determine whether the adjustment to component orders signals an actual decline in sales.
The sharp increase in prices is seen as one factor that could affect early sales. In South Korea, the launch prices for the 256GB (gigabyte) models are 1.99 million won for the iPhone 18 Pro and 2.19 million won for the Pro Max. Even buyers choosing the base-storage models will have to spend around 2 million won. The 2TB (terabyte) models cost 3.79 million won and 3.99 million won, respectively, putting the top-spec model close to 4 million won.
In the United States, too, the starting prices of the two models rose by $100 each from their predecessors, to $1,199 and $1,299, respectively. With investment in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers driving a sharp increase in demand for memory semiconductors, pressure on smartphone manufacturing costs and retail prices has also grown.■Panic-full issue persists despite update...consumer complaintsThe panic-full controversy that emerged soon after launch continues to weigh on the phones. A panic-full is a record left when a serious system error occurs on an iPhone, and it can be associated with the device suddenly rebooting.
According to data submitted by Apple Korea to the office of People Power Party lawmaker Kim Jang-gyeom, a member of the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, around 1,500 product exchanges and 50 refunds were recorded citing panic-full issues in the 11 days after the domestic launch, for a total of around 1,550 cases.
Apple Inc. says it identified the software error responsible for the problem and released a corrective update. However, users on online forums continue to say that their devices rebooted unexpectedly and panic-full records remained even after they installed the update.
The criteria for exchanges and refunds also remain a source of consumer dissatisfaction. Apple Inc. says devices whose problems have been resolved through a software update are not eligible for exchange or refund. Customers who want a refund for a product purchased through a carrier must also obtain a separate work authorization confirmation form.
The staggered release schedule could also affect early sales. Last year, the entire iPhone 17 lineup launched together in September, but this year the Pro and Pro Max went on sale first. With the standard models not yet released and the new-form-factor iPhone Duo also announced, consumers may compare the products before deciding what to buy.
An industry source said, “For the iPhone 18 Pro series to regain sales momentum, Apple must convince consumers that the performance improvements justify the higher prices while also easing concerns about the errors.” The source added, “Whether the Duo’s launch expands overall iPhone demand or further divides demand for the Pro series will also be a factor in determining the models’ early success.”
[email protected] Yoon Hong-jip Reporter