Apple has increased production on the standard iPhone 17, released today, due to unexpected pre-order demand for the device. A strong pre-order weekend spurred Apple to tell two suppliers to increase their daily iPhone 17 production by 30%, reports The Information.
As noted by The Information, the decision to increase production of the iPhone 17 could indicate that the flagship iPhone 17 Pros are not selling as well as they usually do. Consumers opting for the cheaper model could impat Apple’s bottom line this quarter, but we won’t know more until we’ve seen a full quarter of sales for the lineup.
With the current economic slowdown around the globe, customers may be opting for the iPhone 17, as it starts at $799, while the iPhone Air starts at $999, and the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max start at $1,099 and $1,199, respectively. The iPhone 17 could be more attractive than previous base models, thanks to it receiving some love this year with previously Pro-only features, like a display with 120Hz refresh rate and Always-On display technology that is the same size as the iPhone 17 Pro at 6.3 inches.
Pre-launch, Apple has allocated its iPhone production capacity as follows: 25% to the standard model, 10% to the Air, and 65% to the Pro and Pro Max.
Part of the reason for better-than-expected sales of the iPhone 17 could be due to the iPhone Air not yet being available in China, due to regulatory issues over the Air’s eSIM-only design, which may have resulted in Chinese consumers opting for the iPhone 17 instead.