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The idea that people are holding out for the iphone X is only telling part of the story. Apple has historically used the shock and awe strategy to quickly unload a massive inventory right after announcing the phones. This type of demand then translated into a long term sales strategy.

This strategy is based around having the most amount of anticipation build up, announcing the device, and then immediately grabbing pre-orders and first week release in-store sales.

They are actually killing off their own hype by:

1. announcing both models at the same time
2. making people wait two months (maybe even longer now) after announcing it. this puts diminishing returns on consumer anticipation
3. a lot of consumers will take information about the iphone 8 and translate it into the iphone X. if there is issues with software, those issues will be on people's minds when the iphone X is released.
4. two months of slow sales will have an immediate impact of not only word of mouth marketing dynamics but also using the stores themselves as a marketing tool. Slow stores is bad from a marketing standpoint.


You need to play within the known limitations of the current Apple universe and the challenges they face.

1. announcing both models at the same time

When do you expect them to announce them then? Keep users in the dark about the X and create a lot of bad PR?

2. making people wait two months (maybe even longer now) after announcing it. this puts diminishing returns on consumer anticipation

You are living in a fantasy Apple situation. Apple does not have the production output to meet the demand for the X. This is a well known limitation that was reported months ago.

3. a lot of consumers will take information about the iphone 8 and translate it into the iphone X. if there is issues with software, those issues will be on people's minds when the iphone X is released.

A big stretch that ultimately won't matter. The X will only be available in limited quantities and will sell out fast.

4. two months of slow sales will have an immediate impact of not only word of mouth marketing dynamics but also using the stores themselves as a marketing tool. Slow stores is bad from a marketing standpoint.

Slow sales from phones using the same base design since 2014 is going to hurt the X? How?
 
There are a few flaws in your post.

1.) Apple can't "milk" any consumer, the consumer makes the decision to upgrade or pay with their own money for the iPhone X. It's optional.


You absolutely can milk a customer these days. Apple does it by locking you into a ecosystem. It causes the consumer mental roadblocks and anxiety to even consider moving to another ecosystem due to so much of their lives being involved with Apple's ecosystem.

Even if not, Apple milks it's customers by releasing the same device 4 years in a row. You can say what you wanna, but the iPhone 6, 6S, 7 and 8(really the 7S) are the same devices with the exception of processor upgrades and camera upgrades. If that's not milking, then what is.
 
You absolutely can milk a customer these days. Apple does it by locking you into a ecosystem. It causes the consumer mental roadblocks and anxiety to even consider moving to another ecosystem due to so much of their lives being involved with Apple's ecosystem.

Even if not, Apple milks it's customers by releasing the same device 4 years in a row. You can say what you wanna, but the iPhone 6, 6S, 7 and 8(really the 7S) are the same devices with the exception of processor upgrades and camera upgrades. If that's not milking, then what is.

That is the truth!
 
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Steve Jobs' corpse has more talent than anyone you mentioned. The reason why that talent is not needed is because Jobs created the Apple fanboys that no longer care about facts or perspective. Just an ever expanding echo chamber.
Hey, the Emperor has no clothes!
 
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