Apple Registers Eleven New iPhone Models in Eurasian Database

[dcpmark]

People equate small phones with budget phones. Why doesn't Apple break the wheel and do a small premium phone? Takes courage i guess..lol (ok, a lot of courage given their current iphone sales problems). Still, I'm just wanting a smaller XR phone, not exactly SE budget, not exactly top XS premium.

Yeah, I’d be happy to pay $1000 or more for a PREMIUM SE-sized phone....cost means nothing to me, only size. The problem is I’m an even smaller subset of the people who want small phones.

Many SE users are not necessarily small-phone lovers like me....they just wanted a budget phone. If Apple makes a 4.7 budget phone that is truly low-cost, these people will leap to that one. Some price-conscious SE users would prefer the size, but wouldn’t pay top dollar for a premium small phone. Some others prefer the size and would pay for an updated phone, but only if it was budget-priced. That leaves few people like me who would pay top dollar for a premium small phone. For the record, I would ALSO be happy with just a new SE with upgraded internals at any price, but again I know I’m in the minority.

 

[iLLUMI]

If they call them "XI" there will still be people pronouncing it /ˈɛks/ /ˈaɪ/

They should call them "XE" pronounced as Exy which is Australian slang for Expensive.

 

[Baymowe335]

Why is no one catering to the demand of a smaller phone (iPhone 5-ish)? There is such potential! I can’t understand it.

Where is your data to support that? Apple knows what will sell because they have all the data you can imagine. A small phone isn't in demand like you think or it would exist.

When will you guys understand?

 

[Breaking Good]

Actually, you got that backward. A company the size of Apple and with the resources it has could easily afford to make a "niche" product (and personally I think the market for a SE sized phone is bigger than people think).

A company the size of Apple can easily afford to do a lot of things. That doesn't mean it is good for the bottom line.

Apple could easily continue to sell iPod Shuffles and iPod Nanos. But they chose to stop once they released the Apple Watch. The could have updated the original iPod with a solid state drive and continued to sell it as a niche product. But they chose not to.

Please do not think that I don't empathize with you. I personally would love to have a small iPhone with updated specs that I could easily slip into my pocket to carry around and then back it up with an iPad Mini when circumstances allow for it. But I surmize that Apple has researched this and decided that it isn't profitable to continue to carry a small phone.

 

[mthomas184]

Rumour has it these are going to be the best iPhones Apple has made.

It's gonna be the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone

 

[Cosmosent]

Keeping my fingers crossed for one being the iPhone LS, where LS = "Legacy Sport".

Starts with the iPhone XR, swaps-out its display for the 1080p display from the legacy "Plus" iPhones, adds a Bottom Bezel with a Hardware Home Button, bumps-up the DRAM to (true) 4 GB, & fixes the two known (very serious) Hardware Bugs in the XR's A12.

Price it @ $649 USD, & Peak iPhone becomes a thing of the present, NOT the past !

BMW blundered by migrating away from Hydraulic-assist power steering to Electronic-assist power steering, & after 10+ years still hasn't gotten it right.

AAPL blundered by migrating away from the Hardware Home Button + Touch ID.

At a MIN, AAPL should learn from BMW's blunder, & offer their customers (more & better) Choices !!!

 

[bluEmaP1E]

Known by the previous rules：
new iPhone XS
A2160 NA
A2215 EU SA OA
A2216 Japan
A2217 China

new iPhone XS Max
A2161 NA
A2218 EU SA OA
A2219 Japan
A2220 China

new iPhone XR
A2111 NA
A2221 EU SA OA
(A2222 )
A2223 China

 

[MyopicPaideia]

Did you read the link that I posted? What it’s saying, is that likely the next smallest phone to be offered in the mid tier section would be a 4.7 inch, but nothing indicates anything smaller than that.

A 4.7” screen in the current design’s aspect ratio would be approximately the size of the SE/5/5S chassis.

 

[AppliedMicro]

Are iPhones technically much different from Cellular-enabled iPad minis? No, they're not. Same tech, but smaller.
Do you believe an iPhone SE2/iPhone mini (if they actually brought one) to sell less than the current iPad mini? I don't.

So if making an iPad mini was worth their while, why wouldn't a new "mini" iPhone also be?

Why would companies not make small premium phones or stop making small premium phones when there's a 'large demand'?

Cannibalization.

I believe there is substantial demand for a small iPhone.
As there is for a budget iPhone that's not several years old.
Many budget buyers are (in my opinion) not too fussed about screen size.

However Apple won't get away with charging top dollar for a smaller phone.
It has to be priced below the XR.

And that's where it begins to cannibalize sales of "higher", more expensive models. And that's probably whath they didn't and don't want to do. Yet.

I think, that could have been at least one factor in the release timing for the SE, which got out only months after the second iteration of the (back then bigger) 6 design.

 

[MyopicPaideia]

Because, unless you’re an ancient Roman, XI is pronounced as /ˈɛks/ /ˈaɪ/. Pronouncing it any other way is not correct (intentionally or not)

OMG - you’re the guy that pronounced OSX by pronouncing the letter x as well, and not OS Ten? Seriously...

 

[1050792]

I’m using the iPhone XS Max and it is a great phone. It’s gonna be a tough sell persuading people to upgrade.

What about people who don’t own a XS Max?
[doublepost=1558633927][/doublepost]

OMG - you’re the guy that pronounced OSX by pronouncing the letter x as well, and not OS Ten? Seriously...

I’m not sure how he can sleep at night.

 

[44267547]

A 4.7” screen in the current design’s aspect ratio would be approximately the size of the SE/5/5S chassis.

You mean, if that is Apple what _chooses_ to use the for a chassis of an SE, the Display size is dependent on that.

 

[Ladybug]

I agree with the sentiment that Apple is trying to push everyone to larger phones. We went from the 4>5>6>X>XR>XSMax over the years. It’s not just that Apple isn’t making an SE size anymore but there is also no replacement for the iPhone 8 size without buying older models.

The iPhones have crept up in size and there’s really no new alternatives being sold that replaces the 4.7 or 4 inch phones anymore. Many of us don’t like big phones and are hanging tight with what we have for now. Apple doesn’t have to make a product for this part of the market anymore I realize, but IMO they should. So what happens if Apple decides no more size X phones (5.8)in the future and all phones become 6 inches or larger? I don’t really expect anyone to answer that but based on the past, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

I can hang tight with my iPhone 8 for a few more years if need be however Apple can’t be serious about leaving the rest of us behind. That’s a lot of sales. I also am not going to just keep replacing my iPhone with the same old tech. It’s time for them to make a statement or something imo as to their commitment to all of us who prefer something smaller in our pockets. I have nothing against them making large phones, I just don’t want to own one.

 

[Classie]

Where is your data to support that? Apple knows what will sell because they have all the data you can imagine. A small phone isn't in demand like you think or it would exist.

When will you guys understand?

My only data is from friends, family and a bit of gut feeling. Just saying, there are a lot of things that isn’t on demand until it exists...

 

[BaccaBossMC]

My Guesses:
A2111: iPhone XIR 64gb
A2160: iPhone XIR 256gb
A2161: iPhone XIR 512gb
A2215: iPhone XI 64gb
A2216: iPhone XI 256gb
A2217: iPhone XI 512gb
A2218: iPhone XI 1tb
A2219: iPhone XI Max 64gb
A2220: iPhone XI Max 256gb
A2221: iPhone XI Max 512gb
A2223: iPhone XI Max 1tb

 

[Neodym]

Why is no one catering to the demand of a smaller phone (iPhone 5-ish)? There is such potential! I can’t understand it.

Probably because the actual market niche is far smaller than you think.
[doublepost=1558649839][/doublepost]

Too many SKUs. Apple needs to go back to one SKU iPhone.

The Smartphone market has come a long way since the first iPhone. I doubt Apple could allow to return to just 1 SKU these days.

 

[MyopicPaideia]

You mean, if that is Apple what _chooses_ to use the for a chassis of an SE, the Display size is dependent on that.

Yeah, as always, if that’s what Apple chooses to do. But if they do a 4.7” screen with the new aspect ratio, they won’t be using, or even adapting, the older SE chassis most likely, just that the physical size of the phone would be very close to that of the SE.

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

A SD Card slot is a waste of space. There are too many formats and it's not reliable. You need SD card, just get a dongle.

On a 13-15" device? Are you serious? There's exactly 2 formats of which one requires only a passive adapter for full size slots.
Almost any photographer complained about the missing SD slot. That's also the reason why most USB-C docks have it...
The whole point is, Apple advertises it as Pro device and targets it at exactly those people.
Anyway, that topic is not about the Macbook, so I'll not comment further on that here...

 

[JBGoode]

Because, unless you’re an ancient Roman, XI is pronounced as /ˈɛks/ /ˈaɪ/. Pronouncing it any other way is not correct (intentionally or not)

No. In general, people understand the concept of Roman numerals and how to correctly identify and say them. It's taught (or used to be) in grammar school. Since you are fully aware that the X/XI are supposed to be Roman numerals, pronouncing it as you say is not correct and I’m not sure why you think it is.

I heard these new phones may have 'frosted' glass. What exactly is that?

 

[ph001bi]

My Guesses:
A2111: iPhone XIR 64gb
A2160: iPhone XIR 256gb
A2161: iPhone XIR 512gb
A2215: iPhone XI 64gb
A2216: iPhone XI 256gb
A2217: iPhone XI 512gb
A2218: iPhone XI 1tb
A2219: iPhone XI Max 64gb
A2220: iPhone XI Max 256gb
A2221: iPhone XI Max 512gb
A2223: iPhone XI Max 1tb

Changes in memory size or colour do not lead to a change of model number. The different model numbers means different radio bands/formats being used.

 

[inkswamp]

Probably because the actual market niche is far smaller than you think.

There's always a cause-and-effect argument here, and it's especially relevant when discussing the tech market where companies constantly one-up each other and things move at a breakneck speed. Is a market small because the product isn't desirable or is the market small because the companies simply aren't putting the time and effort into that product type to draw a bigger consumer base?

For example, people have argued that the Mac as a platform is dying because mobile/touch screen is superior, but I think Apple's excessive focus on the latter and lackluster updates to the former contributes more than a lack of consumer interest. I've been a die-hard Mac fan since the mid-90s, and I've never been more tempted than today to move to Windows. It's cheaper, more flexible, offers better and more diverse hardware options, and Windows as an operating system has more than caught up with Mac OS at this point. Meanwhile, Apple treats the Mac as an afterthought.

Imagine if Apple really put as much effort into a small phone option as they do with the high-end. Imagine if they made that as desirable an option as the luxury models. I personally don't think it would remain a niche product.

 

[Neodym]

Imagine if Apple really put as much effort into a small phone option as they do with the high-end. Imagine if they made that as desirable an option as the luxury models. I personally don't think it would remain a niche product.

I see two reasons why I think this will not happen:

1. Apple’s products are usually more expensive than many competitor products. Therefore the main target group is a bit older (easier to afford), which implies potentially more problems in working with smallish screens (vision, finger skills), making bigger screens more desirable. Apple will foster that desire as they are likely to earn more with bigger devices.
2. Apple usually sticks to an idea of what they think is the best technical solution for a problem (see e.g. FaceID vs TouchID). I strongly believe Apple is targeting AR as ultimate “display” solution, as that could combine a small device with nearly unlimited “screen size”, which would also be individually scalable. Until the required tech is available, Apple will not invest too much to develop a better physical device with today’s tech: Their major target group is probably more interested in bigger devices anyway and the margin on those is most likely better as well.

 

[ksec]

You can be sure the Japanese model aren't changing, as they require physical changes to Camera Shutter sound. And the Mainland models are required for Physical Dual Sim.

That basically mean one of the model ( Likely XR ) will only have 1 model outside of Japan and China. Where perviously it had US / Canada and World.

( I thought about the Intel 7660 supporting more band ( 45 vs 35 in 7560 ) would be the reason, but given the same applies to XS as well, I can't figure out why other than XR is only 2x2 Antenna. I don't see there is any relation to it. )

Edit: Or another possibility, to save on licensing cost, XR will no longer support CDMA EV-DO. But the saving should be minimal, so I don't think that is the case here.

Edit 2: The only plausible reason, would be cutting the XR China Model. If you want Dual Nano Sim, you have to get the XS Series. XR will only have eSim + Nano Sim.

Edit:3 And I think that theory of cutting XR Dual Nano Sim may be correct if we look at Model Numbers. Colouring represent their previous group. And it is missing one Red in the larger group.

A2111,

A2160, A2161,

A2215, A2216, A2217, A2218, A2219, A2220, A2221, and A2223

I just want to update my thoughts,

China isn't going into Handset eSim anytime soon according to latest report from China's MIIT. Not even next year. Their current eSim regulation and approval are all geared towards Watch and IoT.

Which would be strange if they forced Nano + eSim on XR2 in China's version, and only Dual Nano Sim solution in XS2.

Makes me wonder if they simply miss one model in this registration, or something else getting the cut.

 

[nicho]

I just want to update my thoughts,

China isn't going into Handset eSim anytime soon according to latest report from China's MIIT. Not even next year. Their current eSim regulation and approval are all geared towards Watch and IoT.

Which would be strange if they forced Nano + eSim on XR2 in China's version, and only Dual Nano Sim solution in XS2.

Makes me wonder if they simply miss one model in this registration, or something else getting the cut.

Everyone seems to be overlooking the fact that dual physical sim is currently not a feature of XS and is only available in XR and XS Max.

The "China" model for XS was unnecessary, it's likely that's the one that's got the chop.

 

[ksec]

Everyone seems to be overlooking the fact that dual physical sim is currently not a feature of XS and is only available in XR and XS Max.

The "China" model for XS was unnecessary, it's likely that's the one that's got the chop.

Oh that is it. The China model isn't just about Dual Sim though, but also TDS-CDMA support ( The 3G used by China Mobile ) . And I just checked, turns out it isn't required any longer as they are being actively phased out.