Apple Targeting Users of Older iPhones With iPhone XR Email Campaign

[Mr. Dee]

Its gonna be even harder in the coming years with $1000 phones. I certainly made back the money I dropped on the (2017) iPhone X last year; but I certainly don't see a compelling reason to make such a purchase again.

Text messaging, social media apps, they are pretty much the same. I have to say though, Face ID blows away Touch ID and its a much nicer design.

 

[MoreRumors?]

I got the email today, however, the trade-in only offer is not enough to entice me nor would I trade in a perfectly working phone. With the cost of iPhones nowadays, I am not buying another new phone if the new one were to get lost/stolen or breaks for whatever reasons. I need to keep my current phone to use as backup. If Apple were to drop the price that is close to the equivalent of the trade-in price they are offering, then maybe I may consider buying a new phone.

 

[TomOSeven]

Fantastic deal!
I can't wait to drop 700 Euros on a functionally identical phone, with a discount 50% less of what I get on ebay.

 

[slicktor]

I haven't seen Apple market this hard in a while!!! I am literally getting targeted ads like this on every platform. Emails, Twitter, Instagram stories, Snapchat, Youtube... Literally anywhere they can buy ad space lol YOU AINT GETTING MY 7 PLUS!!!

 

[timborama]

If you own an iPhone 6 or older expect a personal FaceTime from Phil Schiller.

Thanks for the heads up, I’ve blocked him.

 

[mcnallym]

Personally want an SE 2. Don’t want a larger phone and when I need something larger then wear my fleece that can fit my iPad in and tether that to my phone.

What I expect will do once the SE stops getting updates along with my 9.7” iPad Pro is that will splurge on the top size phone but not bother with an iPad period.

Already dropped off the laptop with the crazy prices. My mm2018 is what we expecting to pay anyway for a mid mini so wasn’t an issue with the price increase of the mini.

Mac Pro could do with replacing but seriously thinking hackintosh instead.

 

[trillionaire]

Smart move, and the trade-in value seems reasonable. This is a smart sales tactic. Albeit, someone said they received several emails and even two emails within 2 hours of each other, which should not happen as that can just anger a customer. In general though, you can't fault Apple for this as it's a good way to get people to upgrade and generate more sales. A well thought out email campaign.

 

[bbednarz]

Macrumors user base does not equal general populous.

Exactly. I am not using the macrumors population to determine anything, thankfully.

 

[john123]

I am beginning to wonder how much Apple pays you? I don’t disagree with you on a lot of things but you seem way too emotionally invested.

Anyway as far as Apple emailing people and begging I don’t like it. It lacks class and in my opinion tarnishes their image.

On the other hand if they are willing to stop pretending to be a luxury company I could live with it.

Seems they are trying to find their identity.

Best post of the whole thread. Thank you.

 

[bbednarz]

Oh but I think it is. Why do people think their current phone does everything they need? Because it has a headphone jack and Touch ID home button. Face ID is not a reason to upgrade. The lust people on this and other forums had for a "bezel-less screen" doesn't matter to 90% of people.
I only know 2 people that have an X style phone. No one else wants to give up the headphone jack or Touch ID home button. Also, point 3 is the price. $750 for a 6/7/8 Plus style phone with 256GB storage, Touch ID home button and a headphone jack would sell. I think it would outsell the XR.

You're right with the first portion. People don't see a need to upgrade. The phones are so powerful these days that people do not see an actual real world benefit. Do I prefer Face ID? Sure. Is it a legitimate reason to tell my mom or dad to drop $750 and upgrade their iPhone 7? Not a chance.

I highly doubt we will get another phone that makes a huge leap forward. They all do the same thing. Text, call, email, facebook, instagram. The newer cameras are better, but when the older versions were as good as they were... who really cares. Most all pictures are only looked at on the phone anyway. What else can really be added to a phone these days that isn't an incremental upgrade?

A 6/7/8 style phone for $750 would absolutely not sell at this point in time. People want new tech when they are upgrading. I have not heard from a single person that Face ID is bad and they prefer Touch ID. The headphone jack is gone. Most every other phone maker has also gotten rid of it. It had people up in arms initially. People just don't care anymore. Wireless is a thing now.

 

[vvs14]

I think its more the thought that "my current phone is working perfectly fine and there is not enough reason to spend $750+". Headphone jack and home button are not an issue for the vast majority of people.

On what basis are you speaking for the majority? These two are definitely a big issue for me and the main reason I am not upgrading from my 6s.

 

[Lone Deranger]

No thanks Tim. Still too expensive.

You mean when Jobs was alive and they sold 1/3 as many iPhones annually as they do today?

Yep, when we got quality over quantity.

 

[Bacillus]

So the whole "privacy" smoke only applies to third party companies, buying "premium" so you can spam with these hilarious "trade-ins" is totally wanted by the Apple customer.
Damn Apple, you know us so well!

The difference between Cook’s and Jobs’s mind reading:
They used to know what you wanted, even though you didn’t know it yourself.
Now they pretend they know what you want, but they don’t and you definitely know you don’t

 

[pat500000]

Sorry apple. Your wifi tech is no good.

 

[nburwell]

Is Apple really that desperate for customers to upgrade to their iPhone?

 

[pat500000]

I look forward to the call. I can ask him when Apple's going to show us what "can't innovate anymore my ass" meant. This year will mark 6 years since he said it an not an update in sight.

He didn’t have one in the first place.

 

[Bacillus]

I would be willing to bet that Phil would sit there cool as ice, dad jeans on and offer you the opportunity to trade in your current Mac for 15% off one of the new (with year old processors) models.

I try to avoid Phil because that guy tends to turn humble, loyal Apple customers into dangerously aggressive beasts.
When seeing him, I instinctively put my thumb over my headphone jack, throbbing in my headphone jack as deep as possible, as to avoid him clogging it behind my back.
After that, I stay away from home for at least 3 days.

 

[killr_b]

You're right with the first portion. People don't see a need to upgrade. The phones are so powerful these days that people do not see an actual real world benefit. Do I prefer Face ID? Sure. Is it a legitimate reason to tell my mom or dad to drop $750 and upgrade their iPhone 7? Not a chance.

I highly doubt we will get another phone that makes a huge leap forward. They all do the same thing. Text, call, email, facebook, instagram. The newer cameras are better, but when the older versions were as good as they were... who really cares. Most all pictures are only looked at on the phone anyway. What else can really be added to a phone these days that isn't an incremental upgrade?

A 6/7/8 style phone for $750 would absolutely not sell at this point in time. People want new tech when they are upgrading. I have not heard from a single person that Face ID is bad and they prefer Touch ID. The headphone jack is gone. Most every other phone maker has also gotten rid of it. It had people up in arms initially. People just don't care anymore. Wireless is a thing now.

lol there are literal threads on this forum from people who returned their Face ID phone. People still comment that they won't give up their headphone jack. Face it, Apple is now as tone deaf on phones as they are on Macs.

edit: I need to add to that.
A 5 style phone with headphone jack and Touch ID, that is also waterproof and 256GB would get holdout 5's and SE owners to upgrade and I wager they'd pay $650.
A 6/7/8 style phone that has a headphone jack and Touch ID, that is waterproof and 256GB people would pay $750 for.

 

[Bacillus]

Apple is advertising? Whatever happened to Thinking Different? Didn't people just get a Mac back in the days of Steve Jobs without advertising?

They seem to realize that rumors aren’t bringing in enough sales volume.
Particular, considering all the approving reactions here

Nothing wrong with that either. It's just a marketing campaign for a company trading to sell tens of billions in product in 90 days. It doesn't say anything good or bad...that's true.

What it tells me is Apple is pushing harder and they should be.

[doublepost=1547501789][/doublepost]

"Desperate"
They're still selling more iPhone XRs than any other non-Apple model of phone.

“For the second time in two months, Apple is cutting iPhone production, according to a new report from Nikkei.”

 

[Joniz]

Just got another email from them. It goes…

“Look, your iPhone 6 ain’t worth sheet, so here’s what I’ma gonna do for ya. You buy this Xr and we’ll take that off yer hands for free, no charge to you other than a small handling fee. Tim.”

He’s getting to be a real jerk!

 

[DanGoh]

Drop the price $100-150 and I might jump.......

Same.

 

[Bacillus]

I look forward to the call. I can ask him when Apple's going to show us what "can't innovate anymore my ass" meant. This year will mark 6 years since he said it an not an update in sight.

Meanwhile, in the Cupertino war room:
Tim: “Phil - what’s the success rate of our e-mail campaign ?”
Phil: “Euhhh...less than 0.5% - after 94% spam rejects”
Tim “Cr*p, that doesn’t do it. How many staff did you involve ?”
Phil: “One junior behind a spam server. Privacy concerns !”
Tim, shouting: “Mobilize 10.000 more. Get them ready on the phones”
Phil: “Ehhh...I am afraid we don’t have that many phone lines - cold calling isn’t exactly our core business”
Tim: “Core business is what I tell you to do, right ?”
Phil: “OK, but that isn’t provisioning any more phone lines”
Tim: “Then hell. Get. All those. Unused. iPhone XRs. Unpacked ! At least those with Qualcomm modems. And throw sim cards in them”
Phil: “Oaahh. Never struggled with my big fingers and small pins in these card trays”
Tim: “Don’t bend ! They’re liquid metal. The most expensive part we ever used !!”
Phil: “Oh my G•d Bloobrmpgrr... Ahh, got one provisioned”
Tim: “Man, you’re indispensible. Now go multiply yourself - at least 1000 times...”

 

[bbednarz]

lol there are literal threads on this forum from people who returned their Face ID phone. People still comment that they won't give up their headphone jack. Face it, Apple is now as tone deaf on phones as they are on Macs.

edit: I need to add to that.
A 5 style phone with headphone jack and Touch ID, that is also waterproof and 256GB would get holdout 5's and SE owners to upgrade and I wager they'd pay $650.
A 6/7/8 style phone that has a headphone jack and Touch ID, that is waterproof and 256GB people would pay $750 for.

There are literal threads on here of people who love Face ID. There are literal threads on here of people who do not care about the headphone jack. This place is an echo chamber.

 

[jayducharme]

I can't be the only one who does not want Phablets?

You're not. If Apple made another 4" iPhone with current tech, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

 

[killr_b]

There are literal threads on here of people who love Face ID. There are literal threads on here of people who do not care about the headphone jack. This place is an echo chamber.

No, you said you haven't heard from a single person that Face ID is bad and that they prefer Touch ID. Which is demonstrably wrong. It doesn't matter how many people love Face ID if some people will never accept it. But it's not just Face ID. You have to give up form factor (which accounts for more than thinness), headphone jack, a home button AND pay more, for a phone that does the same or less. There is no reason at all to only have a X style lineup other than Apple is ignoring their customers, which would normally lead fanboys to say "fine go to another brand." But since this thread is about Apple's desperate marketing, we know that they don't want people going to a different brand, they want to sell phones to people who are holding onto their headphone jack.