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Apple Reportedly Scaling Back iPhone 14 Production as Customers Opt for Pro Models
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Yes but this was the first year they really are the same phone. Satellite connectivity and car crash detection. Both arguably achievable with the existing hardware (Satellite is on an already supported band and Android phones have had car crash detection for years.) Those are the only new features.
Aside from the block of plastic you pay for instead of SIM hardware in the US, the hardware is unchanged.
That is not correct. It's not advertised, but the iPhone 14 gets a new Qualcomm X65 5G chipset, which has significantly better reception in areas of low signal.
There is also a new front camera.
I still remember when the original Samsung Galaxy SII with its 4.3" screen and the original Samsung Galaxy Note with its 5.3" screen came in in 2011--everyone thought Samsung was crazy to build cellphones with that big a screen, considering the iPhone 4S at the time only had a 3.5" display. In 2022, a 5.3" display would be considered small for a cellphone, given the 6.1" and 6.7" sizes of the current iPhone 14 models. But then, people using their cellphones as their primary Internet access device explains why phone sizes have gotten bigger in recent years.
Ok fair enough. Still, they withheld their headline feature and the price difference is not huge. They still should just make one good phone in different sizes. With the existence of the SE I see no reason for them to have two different tiers of “regular” iPhone.
It honestly seems this year they are testing the market potential of the concept of having a “best” iPhone and lesser ones, same with the watch, to even further stratify that part of the market that buys Apple products as status symbols.
The fact that after the announcement every single Apple exec was wearing an Apple Watch Ultra shows that it’s more about having the best and most expensive rather than actually climbing mountains (or just standing on their ledges recording presentations.)
I think this was just a weird year for iPhones. I expect them to have it together better next year.
I just don't like the weight of the pro models. So I returned mine and got a regular 14.
I think Apple made a big mistake by gimping this year's 14. All the previous years the regular model out sold the pro models and provided the most revenue.
That revenue will be gone this year.
Most buying the pro models buy every two years. I think Apple has each on a tick tock cadence. I don't see the Pro models getting much of a upgrade next year like this. I do see as analists predict the regular 15 getting a major upgrade next year. This makes sense as it maximizes the upgrade cycle for each phone. The regular model isn't going anywhere. The regular 13 sold more than the pros last year for example as it had a bigger upgrade year. Next year should've much of the same.
A 15 with a A16, Dynamic Island and 120 hrz should sell very well.
People forget most of the upgrades came in the form of a totally redesigned phone internally. On the outside they look the same, on the inside they are completely different.
Same chip as well but improved.
Would you stake your job on it ? Would you stake tens of billions of dollars on that assumption ? They draft a product pipeline/strategy that the hope will materialize but they dont have a crystal ball. I am sure that they have had predictions that were way off. Consumers, even Apple fans are a fickle bunch. Until the keynote is over, the reviews are in, its not easy to predict what the consumer reaction will be.
I think you may be very surprised as to how many "normal" people just go for what they can afford and will buy the 14 and not the pro. They walk into a retailer and say, I want the cheapest iPhone you have, what are my options.
My niece is using my old iPhone 10, my mom has my old 6S. My mom could not use or appreciate the difference between the 14 and the 14 Pro. I have the 12 Pro max that I purchased just under two years ago and am debating as whether or not to upgrade this year. There is a reason why there is such a big market for old(er) phones or the base model.
Apple does not disclose the mix (which phone models are selling in what quantities) but I would not be surprised if a big proportion of the market buys the non pro phones.
I like the fact that we are given choice. If one can justify the cost of the Pro great, if they can't great, Apple still give people an option as to how much they want to spend. They have standards and or margins they are not willing to compromise in and as a consumer you get multiple options and multiple price points.
Except that Apple sells phones year round. After the excitement of the launch dies down, people just replace phones for boring reasons like; I got a new job and phone, I'm on a work plan that has upgrades every 24-36 months, people get the as gifts for graduations .. anniversaries. That doesn't all happen around Sept 30th. Those "boring" sales can have a lot of non pro phones and amount to hundreds of billions of dollars in sales.
Apple is a more profitable smartphone manufacturer than all their competitors, combined. Tell me how this has hurt their sales and profits? Apple is selling many more phones today than they were when Steve was running things. The market has changed and Apple is at worst reacting and at best shaping that market. They are the most successful company on the planet and their sales strategy is the reason they are so successful.
And every year they set new revenue records
Even during global pandemics and recessions.That is why I am now on the 12 Pro Max. Just wait, on the night of your 40th birthday you can read just fine, you wake up a week or two later ... and now you need reading glasses
Yep, watch sales skyrocket at Christmas with carrier deals etc. I will say, however, the difference in Pro to non-Pro has never been bigger.
I suspect the old SoC will be the new standard in the non-Pros going forward. And it makes sense since there really isn't any need for the latest and greatest SoC as Apple's SoCs are so far ahead of the competition's already.
BTW, I'm on a 12 Pro Max and plan on buying again in 2024. The average upgrade period for users is actually 3-4 years, meaning some do indeed upgrade after 2 years but some not until 5+ years.
No iPhone Pro is expected to keep Dynamic Island across the board, but the Pros are expected to get redesigned based on redesign every 3 years, and USB-C. At this point though, what else does the iPhone need other than USB-C, hardware wise. Phone hardware is incredible now. It’s the software where bigger gains could be made. I’d be fine with larger hardware changes every 2 years and we only get software improvements yearly.
Well it is funny that 14 Mini should sell much better than 14+, 14+ is selling like 0.1% now while mini would be like 3%
Yes, I expect Apple profit is lower in coming quarter results. Latest regular iphone was always the annual best seller, no way potential regular buyers all pay much more to get pro, then result is less sales number.
Not going to buy 15 pro except they "fix" the island making the pill smaller and move it higher, back to the old notch height.
Advantage of island/pill:
Those animations are perfect in key note to sell you the phone
Disadvantages:
Pill is lower than old notch, effective area under the pill is small than before
Those animation slow down a lot of things just because they need to let the animation runs and finishes
Must use two hands since the island is at the top
Got that right. I waited until the new model gets announced that jumped on the one year old corporate hardware upgrade plan. Got the 13 for dirt cheap. I did the same when the 11 was only 1 year old. I still have it and using that for work and 13 for personal.
Both phones cost me less than the SE by a country mile. LOL.
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Not really. 3 cameras is just a ridiculous setup. Heck, even 2 is a stretch. It looks ugly and I don’t want it. On the other hand, I can’t have enough RAM and storage.