Joe Maring / Digital Trends
The iPhone 16 in all likelihood wo n’t be here until September , but a new report about the in style from Apple has already raised some concern . On January 30 , Apple psychoanalyst Ming - Chi Kuoshareda few titbit about the upcomingiPhone 16series — and none of it fathom good .
According to Kuo , Apple has reportedly lowered its 2024 iPhone shipments — let in the exist iPhone 15 series and the iPhone 16 by and by in the year — to 200 million units . That ’s still a spate of iPhones , but it ’s a decrease of 15 % twelvemonth - over - twelvemonth compare to 2023 . Kuo notes , “ Apple may have the most pregnant decline among the major global nomadic phone trade name in 2024 . ”
Joe Maring / Digital Trends
What ’s the reason behind this drastic decrease in iPhone shipments ? Kuo report that the iPhone is confront “ structural challenges ” that will kick in to the scummy shipment numbers . Those challenge include “ the emergence of a new paradigm in high - closing mobile earpiece design ” plus “ the continue decline in shipments in the Formosan marketplace . ”
The “ new epitome ” Kuo remark reference the lift in folding phones and procreative AI cock . Samsung , OnePlus , Google , and Motorola are all big players in the foldable blank . Google has touted AI feature on its Pixel earpiece for years , while Samsung is going all - in on AI on theGalaxy S24with its newGalaxy AIplatform . And that AI push button is on the face of it act upon . As Kuo writes , “ Samsung has revised up the shipments of the Galaxy S24 series in 2024 by 5 % to 10 % , while Apple has revise down the shipment forecast of iPhone 15 in 1H24 . ”
As for the decline in China , Kuo says the independent reason for this is “ the return of Huawei and the increasing druthers for foldaway phones among high - last user as their first selection for earphone replacement . ”
To make matters worse , all of this is happening among rumour of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro being incremental update to theiriPhone 15andiPhone 15 Procounterparts . We ’ve heard rumors of raise camera spec and somewhat modified designs , but 2024 will probably be a quiet twelvemonth for the iPhone — especially compared to its rival .
Kuo reduplicate down on this in his report , writing , “ It is expected that Apple will not set in motion new iPhone models with significant invention changes and the more comprehensive / secern GenAI ecosystem / applications until 2025 at the early . Until then , it will likely harm Apple ’s iPhone shipment impulse and ecosystem ontogeny . ”
Apple will likely still sell a lot of iPhones this year , and the iPhone 16 series will almost certainly be well - received machine . There ’s also no confirmation that Kuo ’s prefigure 15 % decrease will happen . However , there ’s also the fact that Apple can only stay on so dependable with the iPhone before masses start see at other options , be it phones that fold or have fancy AI tricks . If the iPhone 16 does n’t have an solution to those things , it expect like it may have a genuine , tangible impingement on Apple — and one that wo n’t palpate good .
