iPhone 12 Pro demand outpacing iPhone 12, analyst says

AppleInsider

Investment bank JP Morgan is tracking what appears to be higher demand for the iPhone 12 Pro than its cheaper iPhone 12 counterpart.

Credit: Andrew O'Hara, AppleInsider

In an iPhone Availability Tracker note seen by AppleInsider, JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee writes that aggregate lead times are currently moderating -- or normalizing -- for the iPhone 12. Those lead times are based on delivery-at-home dates, which could indicate smartphone supply and demand.

Lead times are remaining stable for the iPhone 12 Pro, however. In the third week of availability, the time to receive an iPhone 12 from its delivery date remains at about 10 days worldwide, while delivery of the iPhone 12 Pro maintained an average of 23 days.

In the U.S., delivery times have moderated to about eight days in week three, reduced from 11 days in the second week of availability. Lead times actually rose for the iPhone 12 Pro, from 24 days in week two to 26 days in week three.

For Chinese consumers, delivery times for the higher-tier iPhone 12 Pro model remained stable, while they moderated for the iPhone 12 in the same time period. In both Germany and the U.K., lead times for both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro normalized.

Although the iPhone 12 is available for in-store pickup in the U.S., U.K., and Germany, the iPhone 12 Pro remains unavailable for pickup in all the regions that JP Morgan tracks.

Year-over-year, there does appear to be higher demand for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models than the 2019 iPhone 11 lineup.

In the first week of availability for the iPhone 11, lead times hovered at six days before rising to 12 days in week two. For the iPhone 12, lead times clocked in at 13 days in both week one and week two. Availability for the iPhone 11 Pro remained at around 24 days in both its first and second week of availability. In 2020, the iPhone 12 Pro is seeing lead times of eight to 24 days in that same time period.

As Chatterjee points out in his research note, the success of the iPhone 12 Pro is leading investors to "keenly and optimistically" watch for the start of iPhone 12 Pro Max preorders on Nov. 6.

Rayz2016

So, this chap is saying the Pro is more popular because it takes longer for Apple to deliver it?

Jesus de Pfeffel Christ on an eBike, who the hell is paying these people?

sflocal

Rayz2016 said:

So, this chap is saying the Pro is more popular because it takes longer for Apple to deliver it?

Jesus de Pfeffel Christ on an eBike, who the hell is paying these people?

The same people that claimed higher pollution in China was due to higher iPhone production.

wood1208

Understandably as enough iPhone users who want the best inside out and the bigger is better. But,wait until iPhone 12 MINI is open for pre-order. No disrespect but THE IPHONE 12 MINI will strongly answer the need of those who genuinely wanting and loud complainers of I need small iPhone for easy handling. I miss small SE,etc,etc.

avon b7

Most commentators share the opinion that the the iPhone 12 Pro is the least attractive option because what it offers isn't worth the cost when compared to the regular 12 and for a bit more, the Max is far better value.

With that in mind, I would be surprised if the Pro was seeing more demand. 

ackpfft

My father was like - for only $120 more, I’ll get the 128GB Pro. 

I tried to explain he has no real need for the Pro.   The man barely takes any pictures. 

But he will likely hang on to it 3-4 years, the price difference is small enough, and he can afford it -  so he wants the better model.  

Power to him. Enjoy the fruits of your retirement sir.

bageljoey

ackpfft said:

My father was like - for only $120 more, I’ll get the 128GB Pro. 

I tried to explain he has no real need for the Pro.   The man barely takes any pictures. 

But he will likely hang on to it 3-4 years, the price difference is small enough, and he can afford it -  so he wants the better model.  

Power to him. Enjoy the fruits of your retirement sir.

Lol!  I had the *same* conversation with my mom. I was trying to steer her to the SE—I think it’s a fine phone and she wouldn’t have to learn new tricks for the buttonless phone. She was having none of it. I said “well, the 12 is a great phone.  The screen will be bigger too.”

But, when she found out that I got the 12 Pro, it was all over. “I want to get the best!”

if she takes 30 pictures a year, I would be surprised...

iOS_Guy80

ackpfft said:

My father was like - for only $120 more, I’ll get the 128GB Pro. 

I tried to explain he has no real need for the Pro.   The man barely takes any pictures. 

But he will likely hang on to it 3-4 years, the price difference is small enough, and he can afford it -  so he wants the better model.  

Power to him. Enjoy the fruits of your retirement sir.

Hey I’m retired also and will be getting the iPhone 12 Pro Max 512 GB

epicurus13

I currently have an xr model with 64gb i’m a moderate to heavy user, while the phone itself has been ok, the storage is hampering i tried saving a few dollars then n went with the entry model... However this time around i’m waiting until the new year and going to get the 12 max pro probably with the highest storage, as i take a lot of photos n videos this way won’t have to transfer files every day.. or just try and hold out until next year and wait for the 13 idk at this point but the pro model is def the model i opt for if i upgrade sooner then later... i laugh though with parents my dad was the same saying he likes the 12 pro i’m like you’ve used your precious phone like five times lol 

MplsP

Completely unsurprising - one of the big selling points of the iphone 12 is the camera - but the camera on the 12 lacks a zoom lens, something far more people want than a wide angle lens, and also lacks the low-light mode. Essentially the iphone 12 camera is an half step up from the 11 and if you are upgrading for the camera it makes little sense not to pay the extra $120 to get the pro. 

It’s clever pricing by the Apple marketing folks. They price the entry level 12 at $700 with only 64GB memory, knowing most people would want to upgrade to 128GB and then say ‘screw it, I’ll pay the extra $120 to get the pro.’

StrangeDays

MplsP said:

Completely unsurprising - one of the big selling points of the iphone 12 is the camera - but the camera on the 12 lacks a zoom lens, something far more people want than a wide angle lens, and also lacks the low-light mode. Essentially the iphone 12 camera is an half step up from the 11 and if you are upgrading for the camera it makes little sense not to pay the extra $120 to get the pro. 

It’s clever pricing by the Apple marketing folks. They price the entry level 12 at $700 with only 64GB memory, knowing most people would want to upgrade to 128GB and then say ‘screw it, I’ll pay the extra $120 to get the pro.’

Citation needed. Gruber paints a convincing picture that most people want to get large group shots or interior spaces, or exterior tourist architecture, rather than zoom in on a cell phone. 

Regardless, I happily bought the Pro. I prefer the stainless steel and heft, the added lens, improved f-stop, 7-element lens sharpness, etc. “And I even like the color.”

MplsP

StrangeDays said:

MplsP said:

Completely unsurprising - one of the big selling points of the iphone 12 is the camera - but the camera on the 12 lacks a zoom lens, something far more people want than a wide angle lens, and also lacks the low-light mode. Essentially the iphone 12 camera is an half step up from the 11 and if you are upgrading for the camera it makes little sense not to pay the extra $120 to get the pro. 

It’s clever pricing by the Apple marketing folks. They price the entry level 12 at $700 with only 64GB memory, knowing most people would want to upgrade to 128GB and then say ‘screw it, I’ll pay the extra $120 to get the pro.’

Citation needed. Gruber paints a convincing picture that most people want to get large group shots or interior spaces, or exterior tourist architecture, rather than zoom in on a cell phone. 

Regardless, I happily bought the Pro. I prefer the stainless steel and heft, the added lens, improved f-stop, 7-element lens sharpness, etc. “And I even like the color.”

Citation: Virtually everyone I’ve talked to. I read Gruber’s piece - it’s basically his opinion with no citation or data. 

Also, why would apple limit the telephoto lens to the more expensive phones if it wasn’t more desirable? Marketing 101 - you put the more desirable features in the more expensive products.

YP101

It seems to me iPhone 12, mini price is up.
The iPhone 12 Pro price remain same so gap between 2 models are narrow. Compare highest capacity model of none pro model to base pro model price then less than $150.
If you using the phone for 2 years then $6.25/month or less. I think Apple calculate this very good so people who can afford iPhone Pro will buy Pro instead.

StrangeDays

MplsP said:

StrangeDays said:

MplsP said:

Completely unsurprising - one of the big selling points of the iphone 12 is the camera - but the camera on the 12 lacks a zoom lens, something far more people want than a wide angle lens, and also lacks the low-light mode. Essentially the iphone 12 camera is an half step up from the 11 and if you are upgrading for the camera it makes little sense not to pay the extra $120 to get the pro. 

It’s clever pricing by the Apple marketing folks. They price the entry level 12 at $700 with only 64GB memory, knowing most people would want to upgrade to 128GB and then say ‘screw it, I’ll pay the extra $120 to get the pro.’

Citation needed. Gruber paints a convincing picture that most people want to get large group shots or interior spaces, or exterior tourist architecture, rather than zoom in on a cell phone. 

Regardless, I happily bought the Pro. I prefer the stainless steel and heft, the added lens, improved f-stop, 7-element lens sharpness, etc. “And I even like the color.”

Citation: Virtually everyone I’ve talked to. I read Gruber’s piece - it’s basically his opinion with no citation or data. 

Also, why would apple limit the telephoto lens to the more expensive phones if it wasn’t more desirable? Marketing 101 - you put the more desirable features in the more expensive products.

Never said Gruber had data; I said he makes a compelling argument (on podcasts, etc) on why a wide-angle is more useful on a cell phone than a baby-zoom is. You presented it as fact, which is why I asked you for a citation.

Having optical zoom in addition to the most-common use cases (wide angle), is what makes it desirable in the Pro. But if I had to choose between a pathetic optical zoom, or the ability to get buildings, interiors, and group shots, I'd go the latter. It's the most common use case and the fact that Apple went that way confirms it.