Apple Reportedly Plans to Launch Revised 4.7-inch iPhone 8 in March 2020 to Boost Share of Mid-Tier Smartphone Market

[Schneepard]

SE diehard fans: This is your affordable small form factor iPhone.

Nope, because:
- Camera not flush with back (don't like bumps)
- No headphone jack (hate dongles)
- No straight edges (don't like rounded edges)
- Power on button is opposite side of volume buttons rather than on top (hate when changing volume and accidentally pressing power button)

 

[Elijen]

Their iPhone XS is already mid-tier.

 

[matt_apple]

There is your ling-awaiting iPhone SE2 haha. But, frankly, I am also pretty disappointed...

 

[jpn]

The faceID approach is a stupid idea if it shaves off a portion of the screen and super awful.

hey MX20,

dont be worried about the amount of negative comments this is likely to attract.
you are spot on.

the notch should have been left to a premium segment of user who demands the latest in security.
seriously. let them pay for it in a model that attracts them.

its meaningless to point out that apple has been reported working feverishly to get those notch elements under / embedded into the screen.

a 4.7 inch display, even with a iPhone 8 type of non-mechanical button may be retro. but at least it won't have a notch !!!
pure pocketable heaven.
not to mention the less weight. all iPhones have increased in weight since the iPhone 6s. every phone, every year has gotten heavier.

 

[Tiger8]

You gotta give it to Apple, they recycle like no one else, not just their designs from 5 years ago, but their 'ALL NEW!' marketing for professor and memory bumps

#Green

 

[EvilEvil]

Too many SKUs. Apple needs to cut down to one innovative model. Lower the price to a price everyone can somewhat afford across the board. Make huge profits.

 

[joueboy]

What Apple is saying is we will sell your our unsold iPhones and call it midrange. For only $650 16GB get it not suckers!

 

[44267547]

Their iPhone XS is already mid-tier.

Except, the XS has a $1000 price tag. This purported ‘4.7’ iPhone isn’t geared in that range if wants to exist with older technology.

 

[chineseguy38]

Seriously?! #TimAppleFail

 

[wyarp]

Yes, and under Tim Cook, Apple won’t design a new form factor to satisfy a niche market.

It’s NOT a niche market. The fact that the test SE releases a few months back sold like hot cakes showed that. Most regular users don’t really care less about the desire for ever thinner, ever less bezel phones, or Face ID and the like. They just want a decent phone with decent camera that fits in their pocket and can easily be used in the pocket. The only reason many ppl buy the bigger phones is Cos there is no alternative. If apple went back to releasing smaller phones (as we as catering for the ‘big phone’ fans) then they would almost certainly prove just as popular. I never hear ppl these days clamouring for larger phones, the are however clamouring for smaller ones!

 

[Logamaniac]

Shrink the top and bottom bezels to quiet the crowd that cares, keep the home button and **** faceid.

Oh and make it a + I don’t get forced into the X or XR once my 8+ goes EOL

 

[Precursor]

2021 iTelegraph starting at $499

 

[smaffei]

Proof that Apple has gotten "too big". Why does this redesign take a year to come to market? Can Apple really afford to bleed customers (especially in China) for an entire year?!? This phone should be being made right now for early summer debut.

 

[subjonas]

SE diehard fans: This is your affordable small form factor iPhone.

If people are fans of the se because of the price, then they’re really only fans of saving money, not of the phone itself. Because if they’re true fans of the actual phone, they’d be willing to pay more for it than for other phones. This is the case for me. I’m a fan of the se because it’s the last true one-handed phone (not to mention the timeless design), and I would pay more for it than a similar and even better specced bigger phone. And in fact, I pretty much did, having also bought a backup se and a new battery. If I wanted an 8, I would have gotten one before, but it has no appeal to me because it’s not a true one-handed phone. Nothing has changed with this news/rumor.

 

[nicho]

their 'ALL NEW!' marketing for professor and memory bumps

That professor: Albert iNstein

 

[azentropy]

Pretty much the same physical size as a X/XS.

Except that it really isn’t. While it LOOKS the same size, the X/XS is larger in every dimension. It is a greater percentage change in overall between an iPhone 8 and the X (19% volume and 26.1% weight) than there was between the 5s and the 6 (15.8% and 15.2%). You can debate wether that really matters (it does to me) or if it is worth it but those are the numbers and if they were the other way around Apple would be shouting them from the rooftop!

 

[GuruZac]

Too expensive at $649. They should scrap the iPhone 7, replace the chip inside this new iPhone 8, give it the same portrait mode on the XR, and price it at $499. That would be more fitting of a mid tier phone.

 

[itsmilo]

They are really doing the most to keep their prices up of those that really really want the latest eh? Seems almost desperate like Louis Vuitton rather burning their older bags collection than to lower their prices

 

[acblue94]

Probably my next phone. Love my 7 and couldn’t care less about the so called bezels the whole world seems so obsessed with.

Lol. You must still use VHS tapes and couldn’t care less for the so called video steaming the whole world seems so obsessed with. Welcome to 2019.

 

[drzen]

I'm still holding onto my iPhone 8 (bought day one) for another year at least, but this is as pathetic as Apple continuing to sell the iPhone 6s at exorbitant prices in the Indian market.

 

[MoreRumors?]

Maybe but it would depend on how much it will cost and will it include updated processor and modem.

 

[PlayUltimate]

Proof that Apple has gotten "too big". Why does this redesign take a year to come to market? Can Apple really afford to bleed customers (especially in China) for an entire year?!? This phone should be being made right now for early summer debut.

I suppose when you mean "too big" you are referring to the fact that Apple sells 750,000+ iPhones per day and needs to have an extensive and reliable supply chain to match. This fact alone dampens Apple's ability to launch anything very quickly.

 

[Suttree]

Another recycled expensive product from Tim Cook. Color me surprised..

Yes, just like when Tim Cook kept using Core 2 Duos in MacBooks. A straight-up thief.

 

[SoN1NjA]

$649 is now middle of the road, yeah okay buddy

How about be nice like OnePlus and give us a super nice phone for a decent price!

 

[azentropy]

If people are fans of the se because of the price, then they’re really only fans of saving money, not of the phone itself. Because if they’re true fans of the actual phone, they’d be willing to pay more for it than for other phones. This is the case for me. I’m a fan of the se because it’s the last true one-handed phone (not to mention the timeless design), and I would pay more for it than a similar and even better specced bigger phone. And in fact, I pretty much did, having also bought a backup se and a new battery. If I wanted an 8, I would have gotten one before, but it has no appeal to me because it’s not a true one-handed phone. Nothing has changed with this news/rumor.

Generally I agree. For me I was willing to lose "some" of the one-handed convience of the 5/5s/SE form factor for the larger screen of the 6/6s/7/8 form factor. However I am not willing to lose even more convience going to the X form factor. It not just the size increase which is larger than many people realize (see previous post), but because of the loss of home button and the motion of having to swipe up made it far less stable to use one-handed. Does it make a difference while sitting at home in my office chair? Not much. Does it make a difference when walking my two 75lb dogs, or when jogging, or while walking with something else in the other hand? Heck yes! Of course what I really want is the 8 sized screen in a smaller form factor and I AM willing to play more for the form factor that fits me best.