iPhone 15 Series Unveiled Early Morning on 13th Korea Time
Market Slump, China Risk... Significant Impact Expected on Shipments and Sales
The release date for Apple's next iPhone 15 series is just one day away. Attention is focused on whether it can succeed in the market despite challenges such as the smartphone market slump and risks originating from China.
Apple will hold a 'Special Event' at 1 PM local time on the 12th in Cupertino, California, where its headquarters are located, to unveil the iPhone 15 series and the updated Apple Watch.
According to information available so far, this series is likely to be released in four models: standard, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max. Additionally, Apple is expected to allocate more than 60% of total production to the two high-end Pro series models.
In particular, the premium models are expected to adopt a new titanium material, making them lighter than their predecessors. The new Grade 5 titanium alloy, used in various industries such as aerospace and defense, is lighter than aluminum while offering superior durability.
Apple has traditionally released new iPhones in the second half of each year. However, it is still uncertain whether it can achieve smooth success as in previous years. This is due to many hurdles such as the smartphone market slump, increased prices, strong competition, and risks from China.
Industry experts predict that the retail price of the top-tier iPhone 15 Pro Max will rise by about $100 (approximately 130,000 KRW) to $1,299 (about 1.73 million KRW) compared to its predecessor. Some foreign media even forecast an increase of more than $200. This is influenced by rising costs of key components such as the AP (Application Processor), which acts as the smartphone's brain, and camera modules. Given the ongoing slump in the smartphone market, such a sharp price increase could lead to decreased demand.
The strong performance of Samsung Electronics' new models is also a variable. Last month, Samsung launched its new foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Fold5, targeting the global market in the third quarter. They have set new records with 1.02 million units sold in pre-orders domestically and initial sales records in the European market, creating a sales surge.
With forecasts suggesting the global smartphone market will be reorganized around foldable devices, Apple, which still insists on bar-type smartphones, inevitably faces pressure from the success of the Z Flip5 and Fold5.
Above all, the biggest concern for Apple is the risk from China. Foreign media such as The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) recently reported that the Chinese government has banned the use of foreign smartphones for official work by central government agency employees and is expanding similar measures to other public institutions and state-owned enterprises. This is interpreted as a move to increase sales and influence of domestic companies.
Although the measures target all foreign phones, Apple, which holds the number one market share in China's smartphone market, is expected to be significantly affected. As of the first quarter of this year, Apple held a 20% market share in China, followed by Oppo (18%), Vivo (16%), Honor (16%), and Xiaomi (12%).
Due to these adverse factors, the industry expects both the shipment and sales volume of the iPhone 15 to decline. The annual shipment target for the iPhone 15 series is reported to be around 80 to 90 million units, down from last year's 90 to 100 million units for the iPhone 14. Market research firm TrendForce predicts that total iPhone sales this year will decrease by 5% year-on-year to between 220 million and 225 million units.
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