Apple has asked some of its suppliers to reduce orders for components used in the and iPhone 18 Pro Max, according to a Reuters report citing Nikkei Asia, raising concerns about demand for the company’s latest premium smartphones.
The reported cuts come as Apple has increased prices across its latest Pro lineup. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max is priced at $1,299, marking a $100 increase for each model compared with its predecessor.
Apple unveiled its iPhone 18 lineup at an event in New York on September 9. However, the company has yet to release a standard iPhone 18 model, which is expected to be introduced in the spring.
The reported component order reductions come as Apple prepares to launch its first foldable smartphone, the .
The device is scheduled to go on sale on October 23, with preorders opening on October 16. Its starting price is expected to be $1,999.
The launch marks a significant product milestone for Apple under chief executive John Ternus, who assumed the role on September 1. Investors will be watching closely to assess whether the foldable device can generate fresh demand and strengthen the company’s premium smartphone portfolio.
Investors have been assessing whether higher prices across Apple’s latest hardware lineup can offset rising memory costs and sustain the company’s profitability.
Morgan Stanley maintained a buy-equivalent rating on Apple shares last week but lowered its price target to $355 per share.
The brokerage noted that lower-than-expected selling prices for the latest iPhones, combined with higher memory costs, largely offset modest improvements in revenue estimates. As a result, its earnings-per-share projections for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 remained broadly unchanged.
The assessment highlights concerns about Apple’s ability to maintain higher average selling prices while managing rising component expenses.
Questions about Apple’s pricing strategy have been circulating on Wall Street since August, when Jefferies downgraded the stock to underperform.
The brokerage cited supply chain checks indicating that Apple had cancelled plans for an all-glass iPhone because of low production yields. Analyst Edison Lee had considered the device an important potential driver of higher average selling prices across Apple’s smartphone portfolio.
The reported production setback added to concerns about the company’s ability to introduce new designs that could justify premium pricing.
Apple shares were trading at around $329 in early October, down more than 4% from their 52-week high of $345.34 recorded on September 22.
Investors will continue to monitor demand for the iPhone 18 Pro models, the impact of higher memory costs and the reception of Apple’s first foldable smartphone to gauge the company’s growth and earnings prospects.
