iPhone 16 sales surge as Pro models lose their edge

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Apple's iPhone 16 lineup is shaking up buyer trends, with recent buyers favoring affordability and practicality over flashy upgrades.

iPhone 16 Pro Max with three camera lenses, silver background, displays over a colorful, glowing abstract pattern with gradients of orange, pink, and blue intertwining lines.
iPhone 16 Pro Max



In the last month or so, more buyers have been opting for value-focused options instead of splurging on premium models. Data from the 2024 holiday quarter shows that while new Pro models perform well, base and older iPhones are gaining popularity.

According to data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) for the December 2024 quarter, the iPhone 16 models collectively held a 68% share of U.S. sales, slightly surpassing the 65% share of the iPhone 15 models in the previous year. However, a closer look reveals notable year-over-year shifts in model preferences.

Base models gain traction while Pro models dip



Apple's practice of reusing processors from Pro models in subsequent base models is relatively recent. The strategy began with the iPhone 14 series in 2022, where the standard iPhone 14 models continued to use the A15 Bionic chip, while the iPhone 14 Pro models received the new A16 Bionic chip.

The trend continued with the iPhone 15 series in 2023, where the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus were equipped with the A16 Bionic chip, previously used in the iPhone 14 Pro models. However, with the iPhone 16 series, Apple introduced the A18 chip across all models, marking a departure from this recent approach.

Bar chart comparing iPhone models market share in December 2023 and 2024, showing percentage distribution for each model segment.
The mix of iPhone models sold during the December quarters of 2024 and 2023. Image credit: CIRP



Adding to the mix, the two-year-old iPhone 14 held 16% of sales in the December 2024 quarter, outperforming the iPhone 13's 12% share in the prior year. The uptick shows the durability and longevity of older iPhones, which continue to appeal to users looking for value.

On the other hand, the high-end iPhone 16 Pro Max and 16 Pro accounted for 23% and 16% of sales, respectively. Combined, the Pro models captured 39% of sales -- marking their lowest performance in the past five years for the December quarter.

In 2024, the iPhone 15 Pro Max alone captured 26% of sales, suggesting that some users may be holding off on upgrading to premium models.

Apple's move to put the same A18 chip in every iPhone 16 model ties into its push to make Apple Intelligence available to everyone. Having the same chip across the board means all users get access to artificial intelligence features such as Writing Tools, photo retouching, summarized notifications, and email sorting.

It also makes life easier for app developers, since they don't have to account for different levels of performance.

What is driving the shift?



CIRP seems surprised by the growing popularity of base iPhone models, but it's part of an annual cycle. Early iPhone sales, from September through December, tend to skew toward Pro models as enthusiasts rush to get the latest premium features.

However, as the year progresses, non-Pro models consistently dominate sales for the remainder of the cycle. The recent sales shift is likely due to Apple's decision to equip all iPhone 16 models with the same A18 chip, minimizing the performance gap that set Pro models apart in the 2023 holiday quarter.

While the Pro models have a titanium frame, ProMotion display technology, three cameras, and better battery life, for many people -- including myself -- the iPhone 16 is good enough.

Economic factors also come into play. At $799, the iPhone 16 provides great value with high performance, appealing to buyers who want the latest technology without breaking the bank. CIRP's surprise may stem from focusing on historical Pro sales dominance, but the shift to value-conscious options is a well-established trend in Apple's ecosystem.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    M68000m68000 Posts: 909member
    The “regular” phones are lighter too.  You really notice the difference   And for those who dare to go baseless,  the difference is real obvious.  Will be interesting to see what the coming iPhone 17 Air weighs compared to the rest. 
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 4
    The only thing I really want from the 16 Pro that the 16 (Normal) doesn’t have is the ability to record video to an external drive.

    (Well… I suppose I would likely need USB 3 speed for that. So I guess that’s two things, but I’ll count that as one.)

    That would be a nice feature to have. However, I’m not interesting in paying $200 more for it. Instead of paying $200 more for a base 16 Pro, I can pay $100 more for 128GB extra (256GB total) storage for the 16 (Normal). And with 128GB extra storage, the ability to record to an external drive would be less of a concern for me. I would have 128GB extra to work with and not have carry around an external drive (and all that would have cost me $100 less than buying a 16 Pro).

    Now… if Apple put an SD card slot on a future version of the Pro (and I could record video to that), that would be a significant reason for me to buy a Pro over a (Normal). I won’t hold my breath for that. BUT if Apple did do that, I would pay extra over the (Normal) for it.
    edited January 22
    beowulfschmidtwatto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 3 of 4
    The only thing I really want from the 16 Pro that the 16 (Normal) doesn’t have is the ability to record video to an external drive.

    (Well… I suppose I would likely need USB 3 speed for that. So I guess that’s two things, but I’ll count that as one.)

    That would be a nice feature to have. However, I’m not interesting in paying $200 more for it. Instead of paying $200 more for a base 16 Pro, I can pay $100 more for 128GB extra (256GB total) storage for the 16 (Normal). And with 128GB extra storage, the ability to record to an external drive would be less of a concern for me. I would have 128GB extra to work with and not have carry around an external drive (and all that would have cost me $100 less than buying a 16 Pro).

    Now… if Apple put an SD card slot on a future version of the Pro (and I could record video to that), that would be a significant reason for me to buy a Pro over a (Normal). I won’t hold my breath for that. BUT if Apple did do that, I would pay extra over the (Normal) for it.
    SD slot on an iPhone will never, ever, ever happen.
    edited January 23
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 4
    It’s always interesting how they continue to sell the previous plus models given how poorly they sell, I mean c’mon who is gonna buy a 15 plus or especially a 14 plus in 2025 lol
    watto_cobra
     0Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
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