iPhone XR Do you think Apple will kill the iPhone xr or refresh it?

[44267547]

To avoid having more and more people converting to Android in the future, Apple will need to keep offering some phone for less than 1000, and since I really don't see them dropping the price of their top of the line product I'm pretty certain that the XR (or something similar) will continue on.

I don’t necessarily agree with you here. I don’t think people are converting over to android simply because of the prices, I think they are just keeping their older iPhones longer than upgrading to a newer, more expensive iPhone. Simply, _not_ everyone who owns an iPhone, just wants to start migrating to android, iOS is a great ecosystem to belong in, but they’re not willing to spend that kind of money for a phone when their current phone does everything they need it to.

 

[BritishApple]

A very happy iPhone XR owner here (upgraded from a 7 as I’ve mentioned in other threads).

I don’t get those who talk down the materials used and the corresponding price. How many years did the premium iPhone use aluminium frames with either an aluminium or glass back? Also, the starting price for the top end iPhone, built with these materials, was £699 (or there about) and you can attribute the increase to £749 to global markets, currency exchanges, VAT, etc.

Where Apple need to take the blame is the expectations they’ve created. They ushered in the £1000 starting price for the latest top end iPhone. Sure, OLED and stainless steel is nice, but a grand? When the iPhone 4 launched and we moved from a plastic back (3G and 3GS) to glass and we seen the first aluminium antenna band, we also seen the introduction of the Retina Display, four times the pixels per inch compared to the 3G and 3GS.

So, iPhone 4 introduced:

New screen tech.
Aluminium antenna and construction.
Glass back.

The price remained the same.

iPhone X introduced:

New screen tech.
Stainless steel antenna and construction.
Glass back was continued from iPhone 8 which introduced wireless charging.

Price rocketed from £699-749 entry to £999.

So, yeah ... Apple have ultimately created their own issues here, but the point here is that the XR isn’t the “budget” iPhone. It’s simply the premium iPhone at the same old price we used to get, with the XS and XS Max being something of a luxury/special edition that’s a tier above.

 

[kevink2]

Back before the 6/6+, it was easier for Apple to come out with a new model, drop the price of the previous year's model, and continue. The 5c being a special case in some respects due to LTE being in its infancy on Apple, and the 5 was so limited in LTE.

Rumors are that all 3 phones are facing upgrades. So what will the cheaper models be (8/8+ replacements)? Just the current Xr?

 

[strawberriesandcream]

I don’t necessarily agree with you here. I don’t think people are converting over to android simply because of the prices, I think they are just keeping their older iPhones longer than upgrading to a newer, more expensive iPhone. Simply, _not_ everyone who owns an iPhone, just wants to start migrating to android, iOS is a great ecosystem to belong in, but they’re not willing to spend that kind of money for a phone when their current phone does everything they need it to.

That's of course true, personal upgrade cycles are definitely becoming longer (heck, I just upgraded to a XS from a 5S) but I also hear more and more often from friends and colleagues that they're not willing to pay the price for a top of the notch iPhone anymore and instead switched (or are planning to switch) to Android. So an iPhone for less than 1000$ that offers maybe not all but most of the new features/hardware might be able to convince some of them to stay with Apple. At least those that aren't looking too closely on tech specs and don't get upset when they aren't getting an OLED screen for example.
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So, yeah ... Apple have ultimately created their own issues here, but the point here is that the XR isn’t the “budget” iPhone. It’s simply the premium iPhone at the same old price we used to get, with the XS and XS Max being something of a luxury/special edition that’s a tier above.

Except for the fact that other smart phone manufacturers offer similar specs to the XS (Max) in their phones for mostly less than a 1000$. Namely being OLED screen and multiple cameras.

 

[ftaok]

Except for the fact that other smart phone manufacturers offer similar specs to the XS (Max) in their phones for mostly less than a 1000$. Namely being OLED screen and multiple cameras.

There's one spec that no other manufacturer can provide at any price point. The ability to run iOS.

 

[AustinIllini]

There's one spec that no other manufacturer can provide at any price point. The ability to run iOS.

They're still charging a pretty insane premium for that, though.

I mean, that's nice and all, but the previous iPhones which ran iOS all cost in the $650 range. The base price of $1000 for the iPhone XS is not justifiable due to iOS alone.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

They're still charging a pretty insane premium for that, though.

I mean, that's nice and all, but the previous iPhones which ran iOS all cost in the $650 range. The base price of $1000 for the iPhone XS is not justifiable due to iOS alone.

I’d rather buy the XR or last years iPhone than spend anywhere near a grand for a phone lol. I think Apple are starting to see that my view isn’t all that uncommon either.

 

[ftaok]

They're still charging a pretty insane premium for that, though.

I mean, that's nice and all, but the previous iPhones which ran iOS all cost in the $650 range. The base price of $1000 for the iPhone XS is not justifiable due to iOS alone.

Think of it this way.

The $650 iPhone over the years are the 4S, 5, 5S, 6, 6S, 7. The 8 intro'd at $700. I guess you could call that inflation or what not. Whatever you want to call it, the premium for iOS has been baked in.

Now, with the Xr, the cost jumps to $750, which is a $50 increase, but you get a bigger screen and FaceID. Once again, you could say that the premium for iOS is the same as it's always been.

The X and Xs cost $250 more on top of that. That premium covers the SS band and dual cameras. Leaving the idea that the premium for iOS remains the same.

Yes, there's a bit of mental gymnastics involved here, but the pricing structure does have logic to it. Doesn't mean the pricing ended up being optimized for maximizing revenues/earnings, though.

In the end, I think there would be much less belly-aching if Apple had created the X as a new product. Call it something else to justify the higher pricing. Much of the complaining about the $1000 price tag boils down to "I used to be able to buy the flagship iPhone for $650, but now they want $1000 for the flagship". Keep the 8 (and subsequently the Xr) as the $650 flagship and spin off another product for $1000. I never hear Galaxy S users complain that the Note costs more ... because they're different devices. Make the iPhone and the X different devices and half of the complaints go away.

 

[BritishApple]

That's of course true, personal upgrade cycles are definitely becoming longer (heck, I just upgraded to a XS from a 5S) but I also hear more and more often from friends and colleagues that they're not willing to pay the price for a top of the notch iPhone anymore and instead switched (or are planning to switch) to Android. So an iPhone for less than 1000$ that offers maybe not all but most of the new features/hardware might be able to convince some of them to stay with Apple. At least those that aren't looking too closely on tech specs and don't get upset when they aren't getting an OLED screen for example.
[doublepost=1550156902][/doublepost]

Except for the fact that other smart phone manufacturers offer similar specs to the XS (Max) in their phones for mostly less than a 1000$. Namely being OLED screen and multiple cameras.

The flicker in OLED triggers my migraines big time; I’m talking aura, blind spots, numbness, the works.

The day they stop offering an LCD iPhone is the day I’ll need to give them up.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Think of it this way.

The $650 iPhone over the years are the 4S, 5, 5S, 6, 6S, 7. The 8 intro'd at $700. I guess you could call that inflation or what not. Whatever you want to call it, the premium for iOS has been baked in.

Now, with the Xr, the cost jumps to $750, which is a $50 increase, but you get a bigger screen and FaceID. Once again, you could say that the premium for iOS is the same as it's always been.

The X and Xs cost $250 more on top of that. That premium covers the SS band and dual cameras. Leaving the idea that the premium for iOS remains the same.

Yes, there's a bit of mental gymnastics involved here, but the pricing structure does have logic to it. Doesn't mean the pricing ended up being optimized for maximizing revenues/earnings, though.

In the end, I think there would be much less belly-aching if Apple had created the X as a new product. Call it something else to justify the higher pricing. Much of the complaining about the $1000 price tag boils down to "I used to be able to buy the flagship iPhone for $650, but now they want $1000 for the flagship". Keep the 8 (and subsequently the Xr) as the $650 flagship and spin off another product for $1000. I never hear Galaxy S users complain that the Note costs more ... because they're different devices. Make the iPhone and the X different devices and half of the complaints go away.

I think Apple hoped the £1000 price tag would be accepted by the mainstream consumer initially but unfortunately for them it’s appealed to a smaller segment of their user base. I’m sure had they offered it as an offshoot luxury product then people would still have been annoyed anyway as they were used to getting the best flagship features for £700ish. I think had Apple offered the X for £100 less than they did then it would probably have received a lot less negative press and a much better reception to the mainstream iPhone user.

 

[BritishApple]

I think Apple hoped the £1000 price tag would be accepted by the mainstream consumer initially but unfortunately for them it’s appealed to a smaller segment of their user base. I’m sure had they offered it as an offshoot luxury product then people would still have been annoyed anyway as they were used to getting the best flagship features for £700ish. I think had Apple offered the X for £100 less than they did then it would probably have received a lot less negative press and a much better reception to the mainstream iPhone user.

Agreed, basically what happened is that Cook set out to appease shareholders before customers. What’s Cook doesn’t realise, and which Jobs did, is that keep the customers happy and the shareholders will take care of themselves.

Cook has never been a product guy, ever. And this isn’t some, “This wouldn’t happen if Steve were alive”, post. Steve put the customer at the centre of the experience, and sure there were some mistakes along the way during his second stint, but in the main he was known for two things; attention to detail and putting the customer first.

Cook only cares about numbers and the Jobs quotes he fires off in interviews or on stage make him sound like a Steve Jobs soundboard; he’s saying the words, but he doesn’t live them or, more importantly, doesn’t know how.

 

[44267547]

Rumors are that all 3 phones are facing upgrades. So what will the cheaper models be (8/8+ replacements)? Just the current Xr?

I suspect iPhone 8 will remain in the lineup, the 2018 XR will be discontinued and replaced by the most current XR for 2019, Offering a dual camera. The reason I think the 2018 XR will be discontinued, is because that would be in direct competition against the 2019 XR if updated, similar to how Apple discontinued the 2017 X with the announcement of the 2018 XS/XS max.

 

[JPack]

I suspect iPhone 8 will remain in the lineup, the 2018 XR will be discontinued and replaced by the most current XR for 2019, Offering a dual camera. The reason I think the 2018 XR will be discontinued, is because that would be in direct competition against the 2019 XR if updated, similar to how Apple discontinued the 2017 X with the announcement of the 2018 XS/XS max.

If the XR is dropped, there would be a sizable gap between the iPhone 8 series ($449/$569) and the 11R ($749).

I think Apple dropped the X in an effort to preserve the $999 mark for their top phones. But once we go below the $800 mark, consumers are increasingly price sensitive. Given the volumes in the mainstream segment, I would expect a market for both the XR ($649) and 11R ($749).

 

[OlegOlesyaKotovRozovsky]

If the XR is dropped, there would be a sizable gap between the iPhone 8 series ($449/$569) and the 11R ($749).

I think Apple dropped the X in an effort to preserve the $999 mark for their top phones. But once we go below the $800 mark, consumers are increasingly price sensitive. Given the volumes in the mainstream segment, I would expect a market for both the XR ($649) and 11R ($749).

The iPhone 8 right now is $599/$749, while the iPhone 8 Plus is $699/$849. So when the new iPhones come out, the iPhone 8 will be $100 less if they keep the same storage sizes.

 

[gigapocket1]

I think it’s going to stay around for another year. No updates. New iPhone upper ends..
with the Xr getting a $100 price drop. And the Xs’s also getting a $100 price drop but the 11’s taking over the price range of the current Xs’s.
Making the XR a great phone at an amazing price point.

 

[JPack]

The iPhone 8 right now is $599/$749, while the iPhone 8 Plus is $699/$849. So when the new iPhones come out, the iPhone 8 will be $100 less if they keep the same storage sizes.

In that case, there would still be a $150 gap between iPhone 8/Plus and XR. In my opinion, that's too wide of a gap for the mainstream customer to not have a product between $599 and $749.

Given the XR outsells the Max 2:1, I would be surprised if Apple didn't continue to sell the XR alongside the 11R. That bracket is clearly the sweet spot for customers.

 

[apolloa]

If Apple fitted an OLED screen into the XR this year, as rumoured, would you upgrade from your existing XR? I think I would possibly.

 

[Candikane]

The flicker in OLED triggers my migraines big time; I’m talking aura, blind spots, numbness, the works.

The day they stop offering an LCD iPhone is the day I’ll need to give them up.

The flashing proximity sensor doesn't trigger you? I just got an XR and it's triggering me the same as the oled flicker (pwm) does

 

[nviz22]

I think the 11R is the phone I'll keep an eye out for just to see how Apple will set up the device in terms of upgrades.

 

[strawberriesandcream]

There's one spec that no other manufacturer can provide at any price point. The ability to run iOS.

True. For me that is reason enough to pay the price, but there are people who think differently.

The flicker in OLED triggers my migraines big time; I’m talking aura, blind spots, numbness, the works.

The day they stop offering an LCD iPhone is the day I’ll need to give them up.

Sorry to hear that. Maybe you're lucky that by then there will be some other technology that won't give you migraines.

I never said OLED screens are better for everyone, I am well aware that there are people who can't use them without getting headaches. But for those of us who are not affected, the blacks sure are nice and I've heard several people complaining that "Apple won't even include an OLED screen for $750"

 

[BritishApple]

True. For me that is reason enough to pay the price, but there are people who think differently.



Sorry to hear that. Maybe you're lucky that by then there will be some other technology that won't give you migraines.

I never said OLED screens are better for everyone, I am well aware that there are people who can't use them without getting headaches. But for those of us who are not affected, the blacks sure are nice and I've heard several people complaining that "Apple won't even include an OLED screen for $750"

The simple fact remains here that people are over reacting to the XR display. No one complained at the price of the iPhone 8 which featured a sub 1080p LCD panel.

There’s too many people who think they’re display experts. Yes, OLED has deeper blacks etc. But it’s a tiny screen. If you take my old 50” 720p screen and sit it beside the 55” 4K set on my wall and run the same content, yes you will 100% see substantial differences in quality across the screen and picture produced.

But a 6.1” LCD vs a 5.8 or 6.4” OLED, held a foot or more from your face? Please.

 

[strawberriesandcream]

The simple fact remains here that people are over reacting to the XR display. No one complained at the price of the iPhone 8 which featured a sub 1080p LCD panel.

There’s too many people who think they’re display experts. Yes, OLED has deeper blacks etc. But it’s a tiny screen. If you take my old 50” 720p screen and sit it beside the 55” 4K set on my wall and run the same content, yes you will 100% see substantial differences in quality across the screen and picture produced.

But a 6.1” LCD vs a 5.8 or 6.4” OLED, held a foot or more from your face? Please.

No need to convince me, I'm with you! I really noticed the difference from the XS to my old 5s, but considering its age there would be something seriously wrong if I didn't. Never held a XR next to my XS, but I'm sure the XR has an excellent display. This is just what I hear all the time from colleagues/friends when they are trying to decide what phone they're gonna buy. ("It doesn't even have OLED. Or 2 rear cameras. For $750. Yada yada.")

A lot of people seem to draw the line at $1000. So they either react like described above and end up buying an Android phone, or they get the XR. People who don't care about having the latest of the latest features (because they either don't know any better or they consciously decide they don't need it), the XR is a good and because of the price also sometimes the only choice. This is why I believe Apple will continue the XR or a comparable phone.

 

[saffet]

Can I ask if you are currently using XR? I couldn't use XS Max since I had dizziness and eye strain and I think PWM was to blame. Do you think XR would help my situation?

The flicker in OLED triggers my migraines big time; I’m talking aura, blind spots, numbness, the works.

The day they stop offering an LCD iPhone is the day I’ll need to give them up.