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Apple's iPhone Air Experiment Fails as Supply Chain Cuts Production by 80%
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They're desperate to get the average spend on iPhone up. For argument lets say a third of iPhone sales went to the Pro when that model was introduced, suddenly you've got a third of iPhone sales at $1000 rather than $800. Great job.
So 2/3rds getting the regular and 1/3rd getting the Pro. How can we get more people of those regular models. I know, let's increase the price of the Pro and slot a model in the middle. It won't be feature led as regular owners don't care much about features, but it will look and feel cool. So now we've got the regular at $800, Air $1000 and Pro $1100.
Can you imagine if it works? Suddenly you've got 2/3rds of people paying $1k+ for an iPhone, and now only a 1/3rd on the regular model.
Problem is you can't take people for mugs, and they quickly worked out Apple's game.
But why did that require them to release this phone to the public? Just keep working on the foldable and release that when it’s ready.
Sure it means nothing except for billions of dollars in revenue from Apple.
Regular Joe cares about camera lenses.
The iPhone Mini was the first iPhone I bought since the 4 or 5, and I stopped buying them after the mini died and went back to Google. If they brought out a 5.5-5.7in phone I'd definitely buy one again.
My boss just bought the new Pro, and while telling him about the Air production cut he brought up that he wishes hey would just make a smaller Pro.
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Macrumors saw the post engagement and traffic go high with the “Air is doomed” post so they cranked out another one lol
all I know is that the “regular people“ in my life upgrade their iPhones for two reasons.
Battery life has gotten bad and/or they want a better camera situation.
No matter how good a single lens is, it’s going to be hard to compete against multiple lenses… particularly if it’s even less expensive.
A normie is going to rightfully assume you’ve got a better camera setup with two lenses
Battery life has gotten bad and/or they want a better camera situation.
No matter how good a single lens is, it’s going to be hard to compete against multiple lenses… particularly if it’s even less expensive.
A normie is going to rightfully assume you’ve got a better camera setup with two lenses
Your average consumers don’t care about that, they don’t even know what they are…
I saw this coming a mile away. At best, this was an experment and a preview of the foldable iphone, but only half of it. But why would any semi intellegent tech savy person want a super thin Iphone that compromises on battery, camera and speakers? Whats the benifit in that at all? Oh so its light and thin, ok...so is a feather but a feather doesnt do anything for a human unless you turn it into a quill to write with.
I just don’t think influencers are anywhere near as influential as influencers would like to believe.
By some estimates, there are approx. 150M iPhone users in the US alone. I seriously doubt the majority ever consulted influencers when buying their iPhones, and out of those that do, only a fraction are likely to take them seriously. Apple probably caters to influencers because at the end of the day, it’s extra publicity for a newly released product.
The "holiday" season is right in front of us, we'll have to see how consumer spending is going to be ... and the production"cuts" is part of the forecast, happens every year ...
There plenty people out there who are happy with just 1 camera and the battery life as is, not everyone is glued to their phones all day.
In the end Apple will be measured on iPhone sales and they don't break that out by model as you know...
But of course we are on a website that thrives of rumors and hyperbole...
I think you are confusing regular Joe’s with macrumors members.
Sure, they don’t. 😀 They only buy phones with more camera lenses. LOL.
An average consumer can pretty easily tell two lenses versus one, however.
This is such a strange position you are staking out
Normal people absolutely care about getting the best photos possible. It’s usually related to kids.
I see people on 𝕏 like Max Weinbach and other saying that Air should be a choice for people but in reality why should it be? One camera? Mono speaker? Battery when capacity drops will be dying in your eyes? This what people want? I don’t think so. It’s nice piece of design but that is it. For me the biggest downside of it is mono speaker and one camera. I mean, one speaker? Last iPhone I had with one speaker was 6S nearly 10 years ago.
I would have to guess that 98% of people do not read MacRumors, do not watch endless reviews of products, and do not care about having an iPhone with a lot of changes. The enthusiasts here have been clamoring for something new, and they got it.
The people who have an iPhone 12 Pro Max and want to upgrade their 3 camera system and have better battery life are not going to buy an iPhone Air. They are going to buy the latest and greatest Pro Max and will be very happy with it. Those such as myself who want the longest battery life and best cameras are going to buy the Pro or Pro Max every year. The people who want the least expensive option because it will be free with the phone carriers 3 year upgrade are buying the base model.
The iPhone Air is a hard sell in any of the above situations.
The people who have an iPhone 12 Pro Max and want to upgrade their 3 camera system and have better battery life are not going to buy an iPhone Air. They are going to buy the latest and greatest Pro Max and will be very happy with it. Those such as myself who want the longest battery life and best cameras are going to buy the Pro or Pro Max every year. The people who want the least expensive option because it will be free with the phone carriers 3 year upgrade are buying the base model.
The iPhone Air is a hard sell in any of the above situations.
Once again, Apple learns that form over function has it's limit and Apple have crossed the line with the Air.
they'd be better off just raising prices. they're spending too much energy chasing price points when jobs' og philosophy of simple product lineups continues to win out.
Apple: One speaker, USB-A speeds on USB-C
Also Apple: why it not sells well?
Also Apple: why it not sells well?
The Air has been fine for me. If you understand that any device you get is a compromise in some way, and you know what your priorities are, it’s fine. I care more about a phone that’s not 2lbs weighing down my pockets. I don’t need the best cameras, I don’t need the biggest battery. The Air works for me given those needs.
In my opinion the fold will be a niche product and expensive just like the AVP.
I really don’t… I talk to my friends wives about this stuff all the time and they are always asking about “what gives me the best photos”
They have young kids usually moving around a lot, and they want to get the best photos.
The air takes fine photos, but an average person is going to assume that multiple lenses is better. They are right.
Because they need to field test the tech, and there is a niche of customers who do want this type of phone (ie me). So instead of hoping things work out when they release the fold (which I assume has a larger market), they can work out the kinks in this gen.