Apple’s Cheapest iPhone 15 Is Winning Buyers After Upgrades
Apple Inc.’s basic iPhone 15 model is taking almost twice as long for deliveries this year than its predecessor, signaling high demand for the company’s latest handsets. Buyers in the US need to wait for 10 days to receive the basic model, up from six days for the previous generation device launched last year, according to data from Counterpoint Research. The top-tier iPhone 15 Pro Max also increased pre-order waiting times to a record. Significant upgrades to both models drove renewed demand, although some other options, such as the 15 Plus and 15 Pro, saw diminished wait times. In China, wait times for the basic version quadrupled from last year, suggesting Apple is attracting buyers even amid competition from rival devices like Huawei Technologies Co.’s Mate 60 Pro.
“We were expecting the base model iPhone 15 wait times in China to come in a lot lower – maybe on par with last year,” said Archie Zhang, an analyst at Counterpoint. “And as far as ultra-premium is concerned, the Pro Max is still the most coveted iPhone in China with long delivery wait times reflecting this.”
The extended delivery times haven’t resulted in elevated resale prices, indicating that demand may be driven in part by people trading in their existing devices. “In a year marked by declining smartphone demand, the trade-in program is expected to play a pivotal role in reducing psychological barriers for those contemplating a new phone purchase,” said Counterpoint’s Ivan Lam. “It’s becoming an increasingly vital contributor to Apple’s market dominance.”
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