iPhone 18 Pro: Apple cuts orders by at least 15% as demand cools

Apple has cut October component orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max by at least 15% because demand is weaker than it expected, Nikkei Asia reported on Friday, 9 October, citing people in its supply chain. One executive-level source put the cut at 15% to 20%.

It comes less than a month after the phones went on sale on 18 September. Both models cost $100 more than last year’s iPhone 17 Pro line, at $1,199 and $1,299 in the US, and suppliers told Nikkei the price rise is part of the problem.

Apple shares fell 1.6% in premarket trading on Friday, to $334.89, Forbes reported. Apple has not commented on the report.

Why is Apple cutting iPhone 18 Pro orders?

Apple is cutting iPhone 18 Pro orders because sales since launch have been softer than planned, according to Nikkei’s sources. Two reasons come up most often in the report.

The first is price. Memory chips have become far more expensive as AI data centres buy up supply, and Apple has passed that cost on. In June, Tim Cook, now Apple’s executive chairman, told The Wall Street Journal that price rises across its devices were “unavoidable”, Forbes noted. Macs and iPads went up that month; the iPhone followed with the 18 Pro.

The second is timing. For the first time in years, Apple launched only its premium phones in September. The standard iPhone 18, the cheaper iPhone 18e and the iPhone Air 2 are expected in spring 2027. A supply chain manager told Nikkei that second-half demand is weaker than in past years when every model launched together, though suppliers said that alone does not explain the drop.

What does the order cut mean for Apple’s money?

Not as much as the headline suggests, at least for now. Because each phone now sells for $100 more, Nikkei reported that lower volumes will not immediately reduce Apple’s revenue. The cuts also hit some suppliers and not others, because their production lead times differ, and it is not yet clear whether Apple will trim orders again from November.

The next real test is Apple’s results for the July to September quarter, due in early November. Those numbers will include the first weeks of iPhone 18 Pro sales.

How much is the iPhone 18 Pro in Nigeria?

In Nigeria the iPhone 18 Pro costs far more than the US price converted at the official rate. Retailer TCStore took pre-orders at ₦2.5 million for the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro and ₦2.9 million for the 256GB Pro Max, Pulse Nigeria reported in September. Nigeria is not one of Apple’s launch markets, so phones arrive through resellers and importers.

At the official rate of ₦1,332.90 to the dollar on Wednesday, 7 October, reported by Techeconomy, the US starting prices work out at about ₦1.6 million for the Pro and ₦1.73 million for the Pro Max. That makes the Nigerian pre-order price roughly 56% above the converted US price for the Pro, before any further rise in costs.

A slowdown in demand does not usually mean an official price cut, and Apple has not announced one. Nigerian prices will keep following the exchange rate and import costs.

What happens next

Apple reports its July to September results in early November, the first official look at iPhone 18 Pro sales. Before that, its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, opens for pre-orders on Friday, 16 October and goes on sale on Friday, 23 October, starting at $1,999, Pulse Nigeria reported. One of Nikkei’s sources expects the Duo to face similar demand pressure.

FAQ

How much has Apple cut iPhone 18 Pro orders?
By at least 15% for October component orders, according to Nikkei Asia on 9 October 2026. One source put the cut at 15% to 20%.

Why is iPhone 18 Pro demand weak?
Suppliers point to the $100 price rise, driven by memory chip costs, and to the standard iPhone 18 being held back until spring 2027.

How much is the iPhone 18 Pro in Nigeria?
Retailer TCStore listed it at ₦2.5 million for 256GB and the Pro Max at ₦2.9 million, according to Pulse Nigeria in September 2026.

Would you buy the iPhone 18 Pro at ₦2.5 million, or wait for the iPhone 18? Tell us in the comments.