How often should Apple introduce a new iPhone?

[thermal]

When Apple introduced a new iPhone once per year, some complained that was far too slow in the hyper-paced smartphone world.

Then Apple introduced the iPad 4 about seven months after the iPad 3, and many bemoaned the faster pace of product introductions.

So, my question is: how often should Apple introduce a new, updated iPhone (iPad in separate discussion). Once a year as during Steve Job's era? Twice a year to remain competitive with Android's hyper pace? Some other figure?

[darster]

Every other week, on Tuesdays, unless a holiday.

[serkan]

Think out of American market.In other markets Iphones are too expensive to buy or make a commitment to a gsm operator.In Turkey,if you want to buy and unlocked iphone you have to give : 1250 Dollars and if you want to make a commitment to a phone the total price will come up to : more than 2000 $ And secondly the phones,ipads and ipods are not coming to other countries that fast like US and we can't keep up with this race.I personally want Apple to release the phones in 2 years and we can catch up with all model easily and frequently.With those I can only keep up with the 2 models and I don't want that.

[irDigital0l]

iPhone 5S at WWDC 2013 in June.

[ucfgrad93]

I think once a year is fine.

[Leet Apple]

18 months...the S bull needs to stop lol

[irDigital0l]

Originally Posted by Leet Apple

18 months...the S bull needs to stop lol

Good one.

[harcosparky]

Every TWO YEARS !

When TWO YEAR COTRACT is over, you can restart with a new contract!

Or maybe better yet, get rid of contracts altogether somehow.

[JupiterDoc]

Originally Posted by harcosparky

Every TWO YEARS !

When TWO YEAR COTRACT is over, you can restart with a new contract!

Or maybe better yet, get rid of contracts altogether somehow.

Purchase your next iPhoneunlocked for $850.00 & there will be no contract.

[Leet Apple]

Originally Posted by irDigital0l

Good one.

Originally Posted by JayLenochiniMac

Why should they wait 18 months if they can just slap an S on it and still sell an assload of it with very little changed?

I'd rather a whole new phone when they release, but everyone is in-titled to their own opinion

[JayLenochiniMac]

Originally Posted by Leet Apple

18 months...the S bull needs to stop lol

Why should they wait 18 months if they can just slap an S on it and still sell an assload of it with very little changed?

[MacDawg]

Really makes no difference to me whatsoever when they release a new phone <shrug>
If I feel like it is an upgrade I want, then I will upgrade, regardless of the contract
If I weigh it out and decide to wait, then I wait

The choice to upgrade is always mine, not Apple's
So I am not tied to their schedule at all
Just because they release an iPhone or iPad doesn't mean I have to jump on it

[onthecouchagain]

Originally Posted by macdawg

really makes no difference to me whatsoever when they release a new phone <shrug>
if i feel like it is an upgrade i want, then i will upgrade, regardless of the contract
if i weigh it out and decide to wait, then i wait

the choice to upgrade is always mine, not apple's
so i am not tied to their schedule at all
just because they release an iphone or ipad doesn't mean i have to jump on it

Agree 100%. Love what you said here.

For Apple's sake, it might not hurt them to compete a little faster. The mobile market space is a very different place now with currents changing and monsters fast rising...

[Beeplance]

Originally Posted by MacDawg

Really makes no difference to me whatsoever when they release a new phone <shrug>
If I feel like it is an upgrade I want, then I will upgrade, regardless of the contract
If I weigh it out and decide to wait, then I wait

The choice to upgrade is always mine, not Apple's
So I am not tied to their schedule at all
Just because they release an iPhone or iPad doesn't mean I have to jump on it

Well said man. If only every consumer is as rational as you!

[boy-better-know]

I think the yearly cycle is right. People who moan about how often new products come out need to get a grip. Why should the Apple halt their progress just so you can say that you have the latest iPhone? It is the way of the world. Just be thankful that Apple don't release 50 different phones a year like all the other manufacturers.

Whilst some think ios is outdated (and I agree in part), if you are a Mac user then it is insanity to use any thing other than an iPhone. It is an absolute pleasure to have all devices seemlessly integrate.

[Breaking Good]

From a business perspective, I don't think it is going to make much difference very soon.

Smartphone technology has almost reached the point where it is "good enough" for most people. After that they become a commodity just like laptops or toasters and it is a race to the bottom at that point.

What do you think would happen if Google's X Phone ends up as a quad-band phone that ca run on GSM, CDMA and LTE for $199?

There are only so many people who willing to pay $400 for a cell phone and then an additional $80 or more a month for cellular service.

The same thing is happening with the tablet market. Once Asus or Acer makes a decent $99 tablet running Android OS, that will be the end of that game.

Google sells services and information. They don't care what hardware you use or how often you upgrade just as long as you keep buying their services and they can keep selling your information to other companies.

Apple sells hardware. They sell services like iTines and iCloud and software like iOS and OSX so they can sell more hardware.

I believe Apple is going to move to a six-month release cycle to cash in while they can.

[ChristianJapan]

I like the 9 to 12 month rhythm. Ah, and those two-year-contracts should end or only for those who want. Free phones in a free world ! From day 1. Let the consumer decide if they want to pay full price or not.

[harcosparky]

Originally Posted by ChristianJapan

1. Let the consumer decide if they want to pay full price or not.

Consumers pay full price plus plus plus.

They always have, and alway will, so long as subsidized contracts go on.


Go buy that $200 subsidized iPhone and cancel 35 days later.

They hit ya with that crazy Early Termination Fee?

Do you know what that represents? It's the PAYMENTS you would have paid on your phone had you fulfilled the contract.

You can quit and pay full price up front via ETF, or you can continue making payments on the phone via the contracted agreement.

Now where does the " plus plus plus " come into play?

Say you finished your contract, and have made all the payments ( $200 down + payments monthly ). Now your phone is completely paid for but you are still paying the inflated monthly fee that includes the Service and Phone Payment.

Phone companies have you over a barrel though!

[ChristianJapan]

Originally Posted by harcosparky

Consumers pay full price plus plus plus.

...

Sure; I understand the mechanics of such deals. What I mean is the decision of a consumer to pay one-time at the begin (and don't have to have a two-year-contract) or use the two-year-contract as a kind of loan and enjoy a new phone with a timely distributed price. Not much difference to a car. It should only depend on the financial situation of the customer which of both ways he will choose.

if we are all forced into two-year-contracts I agree Apple can stop bring the "s" models and focus on bigger jumps every two year.

[tymaster50]

iOS needs a major boost, they need themes. Literally the only thing that changed about the layout is the SMS and music icon. They never know if they want it as one app for music and video or separate apps lol

[yinz]

I think most people would like things to stay the same simply because people don't like change.

[Sedrick]

The next 5 years are going to be very interesting for Apple. With their mind-set, I'm not sure where they can go with the iPhone from here. They're obviously not interested in changing the OS and I doubt they'll ever go with a larger screen. They've kind of painted themselves into a corner.

[Beeplance]

Originally Posted by Sedrick

The next 5 years are going to be very interesting for Apple. With their mind-set, I'm not sure where they can go with the iPhone from here. They're obviously not interested in changing the OS and I doubt they'll ever go with a larger screen. They've kind of painted themselves into a corner.

Just my 2 cents, but I have this feeling that Apple will be reduced to dust by 2025 should the slow rate of innovation in the iOS component continue, given that it powers 2 of their most popular products: iPhone and iPad.

[tann]

Originally Posted by Breaking Good

From a business perspective, I don't think it is going to make much difference very soon.

Smartphone technology has almost reached the point where it is "good enough" for most people. After that they become a commodity just like laptops or toasters and it is a race to the bottom at that point.

I agree with this! I think the current 5 is the first iPhone that I think will exceed 2 years of use for most people (if they want it to). It has everything, LTE, good battery, super fast.

[onthecouchagain]

The slow game is going to bite them in the nippers. Given the fast-rising competition, might not hurt Apple to change gears.

I, for one, welcome our new 6-month cycle overlords. It would make the S-version of iPhones more tolerable, too.