Survey says: pricier iPhone 14 Pro models are the overwhelming choice of consumers in this country

We can't conclude that the consumers in China represent the whole world. But TF International's reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has disseminated some tweets based on offline surveys conducted in China that reveal a strong preference for the more expensive iPhone 14 Pro models. This is exactly what Apple was hoping for and this year, more than ever, it created a huge dividing line between the non-Pro and Pro models.

Kuo's tweets noted that according to the offline survey, 85% of pre-orders that will be placed in China for the iPhone 14 series will be for the two iPhone 14 Pro models. Maybe not as surprising as it seems at first blush, the 6.7-inch non-Pro iPhone 14 Plus received the lowest percentage of future pre-orders in the survey at 5%.

On one hand, we are surprised that a cheaper version of Apple's largest-screened handset and the one that Apple says has the best battery life of any iPhone, would be the choice of only 5% surveyed. On the other hand, if you're going to buy the 6.7-inch model, you might as well fork over the additional cash for great features found only on the Pro units like the Dynamic Island, the 120Hz ProMotion display, the 4nm A16 Bionic SoC with nearly 16 billion transistors, the faster LPDDR5 RAM, and the 48MP camera sensor.

Kuo adds that "Pre-orders for Apple's high-end products have always been more popular in the early stage. This year's order allocation of Pro models is higher vs. previous years from this survey, reflecting Apple's product segmentation strategy change (only Pros receive major updates)." Kuo himself says that this is not a one-off thing. Apple plans on equipping the iPhone 15 non-Pro models with the A16 Bionic and its nearly 16 billion transistors, and powering the iPhone 15 Pro models with the 3nm A17 Bionic.

Using the 3nm process node, the A17 Bionic will be able to fit more transistors inside than any other previous Apple iPhone SoC. And that should make the A17 Bionic the most powerful and energy-efficient chipset to ever grace the inside of an iPhone.

iPhone 14 from Apple: save $40-$620 with a trade-in

You can buy the new iPhone 14 at Apple, where the device is sold at its regular price. If you wish to save, opt for a trade-in. Trade-in discounts vary between $40 and $620, depending on what device you trade in and its condition.

$620 off (89%) Trade-in

$79

$699

Buy at Apple

iPhone 14 Plus from Apple: save $40-$620 with trade-in

You can get the iPhone 14 Plus from Apple as well. You can save with an eligible device trade-in, with credit amounts to as much as $620.

$620 off (78%) Trade-in

$179

$799

Buy at Apple

AT&T iPhone 14 (256GB) at Walmart: save 23% right now

The iPhone 14 is now available to order with a carrier plan from AT&T Walmart. Prices for this device start at $21.64/month for 36 installments. The phone comes with 256GB of internal storage space in Midnight.

$200 off (20%)

$779 ⁰⁴

$979

Buy at Walmart

Verizon iPhone 14 Plus: get it for FREE with a new line

Get the iPhone 14 Plus for $00.00/mo with Verizon. This offer requires a new line activation and a select Unlimited plan. Your savings will be applied over 36 months.

$830 off (100%)

$0

$829 ⁹⁹

Buy at Verizon

(AT&T) iPhone 14 Pro: get at Walmart for $21.64/mo

You can buy the iPhone 14 Pro AT&T-locked from Walmart. Prices start at $21.64/month for 36 installments. The device comes with 256GB of storage in Gold.

$370 off (32%)

$779 ⁰⁴

$1149

Buy at Walmart

Apple really went out of its way this year to create a huge gap between the iPhone 14 non-Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro. The goal is to sell more of the pricey units so that even if the number of phones Apple ships is flat or down slightly, revenue might still rise. It's a brilliant strategy. Still, we must point out that this is just the result of a survey where no money is laid out. When it comes time to place real pre-orders and spend real money, that 85% figure might drop dramatically.

Pre-orders in many markets started today with the iPhone 14 line expected to start shipping on September 16th.