The iPhone 16 Pro Max Expected to Dominate as Apple’s Most Popular Model This Year

A new report indicates that the iPhone 16 Pro Max is set to be the standout model from Apple’s lineup this year. Apple’s strategy appears to be shifting focus from standard models to the more premium ‘Pro’ versions. Historically, both ‘Pro’ models have outperformed the standard variants in terms of sales, despite their higher prices. The integration of new Apple Intelligence features and larger sizes seem to be driving this trend.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max to Lead Apple’s Sales While ‘Plus’ Variant Lags Behind

According to the latest report from The Elec, Apple is forecasting higher shipments of the iPhone 16 Pro models compared to the standard variants. This shift comes as no surprise, given that the ‘Pro’ models have consistently outshone their more budget-friendly counterparts. The report suggests that Apple will produce a total of 90.1 million units of the iPhone 16 series, with the ‘Plus’ variant trailing behind, expected to account for just 5.8 million units.

The standard 6.1-inch iPhone 16 is projected to make up 24.5 million units, while the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro is expected to reach 26.5 million units. The iPhone 16 Pro Max, however, is anticipated to dominate with an estimated 33.2 million units produced, making it the model with the largest production share. This focus on the iPhone 16 Pro Max means it will account for 37% of the total production, while the iPhone 16 Plus is expected to make up only 6% of the share.

Overall, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are forecasted to be the most popular models in the lineup, together representing 67% of the total production. This is an increase from the previous year, where the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max combined for 60% of the production. The increase in production for the Pro models is largely attributed to Apple’s development of tetraprism lenses, which will be exclusive to these models.

There’s no doubt that the iPhone 16 Pro models will feature the latest technological advancements Apple has to offer, including new Apple Intelligence capabilities. These features are expected to boost overall sales, although they may not be available at the initial launch. Apple has already released iOS 18.1 to developers for testing, with a full release anticipated in October, a few weeks after the iPhone 16 launch.

However, it’s important to note that there are no major design changes expected for the iPhone 16 and its Pro counterparts, which could result in sales leveling off. Apple is reportedly working on an ultra-thin version of the iPhone 17, which is expected to debut next year at a higher price point. It will be interesting to see how the market responds to the iPhone 16 lineup in terms of sales performance.