Apple Will Not Release First Weekend Sales Numbers for iPhone 7 Due to Demand Outweighing Supply

[Nr123*123]

If Apple fans are unhappy then you will find out in 1 month. The correlation here, when preorders haven't started yet, is reaching.

Well is this not the place where Apple fans congregate and discuss their feelings towards the latest Apple product? From this reaction, we already know how Apple fans feel. Most of the commentators who have been described as "trolls" have been members for a while. It's not like they just signed up after the iPhone announcement.

 

[ani4ani]

Per

The people who suspect this is to create hype have no idea how hard it is to match the demand of 20 million people trying to buy a phone at once when you just started manufacturing them 30 days before.

Perhaps you're right, but Apple should know?

The facts are that, phones available on the 16th were built weeks ago and are in warehouses around the world now. There are only two possible reasons for this new sentiment from Apple:

They didn't start soon enough or have yield problems, or they know demand is going to be lower than previously (my view) and wanted to head that issue off beforehand, since folks now expect the magical numbers following each release.

Apple is the best at many things, and in particular in PR and spin

Remember, even the guidance including the new 7 and new watch, almost for a whole quarter does not suggest iPhone 6 like sales numbers.

 

[Woodcrest64]

Exactly. Smart. I'm glad they've stopped releasing sales figures outside of earnings calls. No one else does it. All it does is create a big fat unnecessary target that they're probably not going to surpass anymore now that the market is more mature/saturated.

The market is highly saturated but another contributing factor is likely due the iPhone 7 being more an incremental update. I would be shocked if Apple did not release those numbers for the iPhone 8 next year which is rumored to havea radical design change.

 

[DynaFXD]

I'm happy that I get to skip an iPhone upgrade cycle this year. Same with the AW.

Well, you get to skip them _every_ year. No one says that people need to upgrade use because. If what you have now is working fine, leave the money in the bank or put it elsewhere. Just saying....

 

[duffman9000]

Right because Apple doesn't want to sell iPhones. They'd much rather have someone get a Galaxy instead. Do you people realize how ridiculous you sound?

Apple wants to sell as many iPhones as it possibly can. No availability means no sale and possibly means customers will go elsewhere. Not everyone is so tied up in the Apple ecosystem that they can't leave.

I don't think Apple wants to hold back sales, but it has to estimate demand to not overproduce phones. Over producing requires additional storage. Not an easy task.

I hope the people in power don't live in echo chambers. After some bad design choices over the years I don't doubt it.

 

[doelcm82]

The reason they're giving is the same condition that has existed every year since the iPhone was invented, so I don't believe it.

I guess they're trying to control the press, but in my opinion, it's better to just be honest. Sales might not be as good this year or inventory may be more limited than normal. Either way, they seem to be trying to manipulate the story, which makes me trust them less.

Because of their past experience with inaccurate first weekend sales figures, they are changing their behavior.

You'd rather see inaccurate data (because you've always seen inaccurate data in the past and you're used to it). You like inaccurate data, and any change makes you feel uncomfortable.

This is like Apple saying they're not going to go out on New Year's Eve because the past several years they've woken up with a hangover in the bed of a stranger. You're saying they should keep going out for New Year's Eve because changing the routine after several years is fishy.

You agree that the condition they're giving is a valid one.

 

[RedOrchestra]

Little interest where?

It's called polling, son ... statistical gathering of information from a set environment (blogs and MR threads aren't part of it) ... and the info wasn't good to be sure OTHERWISE Apple wouldn't have taken this unprecedented step.

 

[now i see it]

iPhones don't last forever and eventually the hundreds of millions of entrenched iOS users will have to upgrade their phones. If not with the 7, then future phones. The 7 wasn't designed to be a 6 or 6s killer, but it surely smites a dagger through the heart of an ip5.

Keeping an iPhone four to five years (or longer) will be more the norm from now on. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[TigerWoodsIV]

The stock price drop is more likely the result of another analyst downgrade.

The stock price goes down every September the day after the announcement. I can't remember how many years I've noticed this, but it's been more than a few. If I could short sell a ton of shares, I would every year.

 

[639051]

It's called polling, son ... statistical gathering of information from a set environment (blogs and MR threads aren't part of it) ... and the info wasn't good to be sure OTHERWISE Apple wouldn't have taken this unprecedented step.

Still called speculation, son. How many times have we heard doom and gloom (hint, EVERY. SINGLE.TIME.)? Doom and gloom gets the clicks, wait and see doesn't draw much interest.

Son.

 

[zone23]

I have no idea what or who you are talking about....I am just telling you, I lost about $2,000 in the value of my Apple Stock today.

Well you probably shouldn't have sold it then.

 

[639051]

The stock price goes down every September the day after the announcement. I can't remember how many years I've noticed this, but it's been more than a few. If I could short sell a ton of shares, I would every year.

Amazing to me how many people are surprised by this every single year. Is the human race really dumbing down this quickly?

 

[44267547]

I'm still a supporter of the iPhone 7. I'll add to the sales numbers by purchasing one.

 

[DynaFXD]

More reason to be up tonight to order gonna be a long night for me

ProTip: Use the Apple store app, don't bother with the web site, IMHO. Use a credit card not a debit card (<- they may have fixed this one, but it was a headache when the 4 was released).

 

[639051]

I'm still a supporter of the iPhone 7. I'll add to the sales numbers by purchasing one.

Same here. At first I wasn't going to, then just thought about how much the price difference will be selling my phone next year vs selling it this year and it's basically a wash, so I might as well and enjoy the new features.

 

[Rob198612]

ProTip: Use the Apple store app, don't bother with the web site, IMHO. Use a credit card not a debit card (<- they may have fixed this one, but it was a headache when the 4 was released).

last year, at least for me the app was offline until like 310. when should i try like at 258? or right at 3. referring to the app.

thanks

 

[69Mustang]

http://appleinsider.com/articles/16...upply-constraints-due-to-new-dual-lens-camera
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/1...plus-said-to-be-in-short-supply-at-launch.htm
http://appadvice.com/post/expect-supply-shortages-for-apples-iphone-7-as-usual/720231

Thanks. You would have been better served by leading with this. Most of your other comments lacked the facts you presented here. They came off as defensive opinions. This is a stronger argument than all your other comments... combined.

 

[jimbobb24]

Amazing to me how many people are surprised by this every single year. Is the human race really dumbing down this quickly?

Look at the political candidates from both parties. This Apple stuff should not be your first clue that we are becoming dumber so fast in 4 years both parties will be selecting farm animals for office.

 

[jdillings]

I just picked up some great new fall reading:

 

[thisisnotmyname]

I have no idea what or who you are talking about....I am just telling you, I lost about $2,000 in the value of my Apple Stock today.

Otherwise known as "where it was five days ago prior to pre-event pop."

 

[Cosmosent]

I doubt this phone will be a flop, but despite the positive spin, outside of the 7Plus cameras, this is mostly just an iterative improvement over the 6s, without a headphone jack, and poorly thought out transition provisions for that removal.

The black finishes are beautiful, and are going to motivate many headphone jack or no, but in the end, Apple's sales were already in decline, whether due to an inflated 6 surge, or general disinterest with not enough compelling new features. I'm not sure there's enough offered in the 7 to set it apart from the 6s, and instead of a compelling new reason to buy, there's one big one missing -- and one that's affecting the common user. The headphone jack story is everywhere -- you didn't hear them talking about Force Touch that way.

So Apple is initially going to lose a certain amount of sales for dropping the headphone jack. Once the phone has been out a while that may turn around, but initially it's going to affect sales performance. The fact Apple has chosen this particular model to change their reporting policy is naturally going to be suspect, as well it should. Again appearance is everything. When Tim Cook sold all that stock last week before the release of a new phone, it had the appearance of being suspect. Even though there was likely nothing nefarious going on, it had the appearance. And companies have to be aware of making these kinds of decisions and how they will be perceived. This isn't the first time Cook and co. Appear to be tone deaf to this kind of thing.

This is a fair complaint.

Good post, and I agree 100% with your assessment.

IMO, Wide Color capture & display should have been the key feature the audience left the event thinking about, and even there, Apple dropped the ball !

 

[2457282]

If true, I am now concerned that this will be the same mess as with the watch. Show up to store on launch day only to find zero inventory. Only online orders that are backlogged for months. I will order online tomorrow in hopes of getting it next week, but Angie, don't screw me over like you did with the watch or lady things might get ugly. Just saying...

 

[Rogifan]

I don't think Apple wants to hold back sales, but it has to estimate demand to not overproduce phones. Over producing requires additional storage. Not an easy task.

I hope the people in power don't live in echo chambers. After some bad design choices over the years I don't doubt it.

Sure but there's a difference between that and intentionally not making enough phones to make it look like they're more in demand than they really are. That's ridiculous and not something Apple is doing.

 

[sportsfan]

I believe Apple on this one. If the iP7 is a flop, it will show up on the earnings call.
This phone will not be a flop, it will sell out and we will hear all about the delays after this weekend.

 

[TheBigDog]

I don't understand this. It shows they have low confidence in their new phone. They could have just not reported the results and not explained themselves