A $100 price hike may be all it takes to scare off iPhone buyers in this economy, as Apple reportedly slashes orders

Apple has told some suppliers to cut production of components for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Nikkei Asia reported Friday, raising fresh questions about how much more consumers are willing to pay for premium smartphones as memory-chip costs soar.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Nikkei reported that Apple’s October component orders for the two models are at least 15% below what the company originally requested.

Demand has been softer than expected from late August into October, according to the report, and Apple has grown more cautious about shipments since early September.

“In October alone, we are seeing orders from Apple reducing by 15% to 20% for both the premium models; we don’t know how things would develop from here,” one executive-level source told the publication.

The cuts will affect some, but not all, suppliers’ October production volumes, depending on their lead times.

It remains unclear whether Apple will make further adjustments from November onward.

Apple has not confirmed the reported reductions and did not immediately respond to Fortune ‘s request for comment.

The report comes barely a month into John Ternus’s tenure as CEO .

Ternus succeeded Tim Cook on Sept.

1, and the iPhone 18 Pro lineup is the first flagship launch under his leadership.

Why consumers may be balking at the iPhone 18 Pro Suppliers quoted by Nikkei pointed to price.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,299, according to Apple’s website—each $100 more than the iPhone 17 Pro models they replaced.

Apple unveiled the phones on Sept.

9 and began selling them on Sept.