According to the report the Plus models did snatch away some sales from the base models when they were first announced as a replacement for the iPhone mini. However, despite that initial surge of interest the Plus models fail to attract much attention.
The juxtaposition of the base and Pro Max models selling the best is interesting to see. It shows that most iPhone users either just want an iPhone or they want the best iPhone. Of course, there is another factor at play here.
The iPhone SE was not part of the report unfortunately, so we can’t compare it to the main iPhone models. However, the rumored modern iPhone SE revamp slated for next year should revitalize sales for Apple’s budget smartphone offering. The new SE will also reportedly support Apple Intelligence, giving consumers more reasons to upgrade.
That is if Apple Intelligence is fully out by then and is confirmed to be all it’s hyped up to be. Part of the reason that the iPhone 16 is such an underwhelming upgrade is that its biggest selling point still isn’t completely available.
And then there’s the possibility that Apple will eventually start charging a subscription for its AI features.