The iPhone 11 Is Selling Well, But You Might Have a Hard Time Getting One in Midnight Green

Early indications suggest that Apple’s new iPhones are selling better than many expected, following the opening of pre-orders last Friday.

In a report released yesterday and shared by 9to5Mac, venerable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo took a close look at Apple’s online shipping estimates to determine that demand for all of the new models is well ahead of expectations, and that there is particularly strong demand for the new green and purple iPhone 11 models and the new midnight green iPhone 11 Pro.

iPhone 11 Pro in the U.S., iPhone 11 in China

According to Kuo’s analysis, demand for the iPhone 11 Pro is particularly high in the United States, something that he also attributes to trade-in programs and zero-percent financing plans that may be stimulating upgrades.

Chinese consumers, however, are naturally gravitating more toward the lower-cost iPhone 11 model — something that’s not particularly surprising considering Apple’s past struggles in China when it came to its premium-priced iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max last year. The iPhone 11 Pro likely remains priced out of reach for the average Chinese consumer, where many have been gravitating toward mid-tier smartphones from competitors such as Huawei due to their considerably lower prices.

Green Is the New Black

One interesting point revealed by Kuo is that the midnight green iPhone 11 Pro is experiencing production problems related to the glass, which means that there is more limited availability of that particular model.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not imagining it. Apple experienced a similar supply shortage with the infamous jet black iPhone 7, a very sleek design that was released to much fanfare in 2016, yet involved such an intricate and complex manufacturing process to achieve the high-gloss black finish that it turned out to be too much for many of Apple’s manufacturing partners to keep up with.

Although it seems unlikely that the glass for a midnight green iPhone 11 Pro would be nearly as complicated as the nine-step anodized aluminum finishing of the jet black design, there do appear to be production problems nonetheless that could make it harder for you to get your hands on one — a problem that’s also exacerbated by the fact that the new color is already in much higher demand.

Estimates Raised

As a result of the positive demand from pre-orders, however, Kuo’s firm, TF Securities, has increased its estimates for the number of new iPhone shipments this year to 70–75 million units, up from the 65–70 million figure that it estimated prior to the opening of pre-orders.

The aggressive pricing and features of the iPhone 11 is particularly encouraging, according to Kuo, since the new model provides a compelling set of capabilities such as the new ultra-wide lens system, even better battery life than the already-impressive iPhone XR that it has replaced, and 4K video upgrades. The pricing, Kuo says, will make it hugely appealing to the existing installed base of iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, and iPhone 7 users who have not yet seen a reason to upgrade.

Preorders for all of the new iPhone 11 models are ongoing now, subject to availability, with the new iPhones expected to arrive in customers’ hands beginning this Friday, September 20th, and landing on store shelves at the same time. Models that are currently showing longer shipping times online will likely still be available for in-store purchase come Friday, as Apple always reserves inventory for its stores for walk-in customers separately from its pre-order stock.