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iPhone XR How is the XR doing in sales?

dontwalkhand

dontwalkhand

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jul 5, 2007
6,486
3,071
Phoenix, AZ
I feel that the iPhone XR is actually selling a lot more better than most people are giving it credit for. I’ve noticed more XRs out in public than ever, including people using it for Apple Pay, getting on the bus etc. I don’t understand the hate that this phone has gotten. Now I do admit that they should have made a smaller version for people who don’t want a “plus” but why is Apple complaining that this phone isn’t selling enough?
 
this is the first year in iPhone history that the total number of all iPhones sold has not met projections. Even with hundreds of millions of iPhones sold this year, it's less than what was anticipated- so they're pushing out more ads in the hope that people who were slumbering will suddenly wake up after they see the ads and realize they need to buy a new iPhone.
 
The XR is a weird phone in a sense that Apple made some appropriate corner cuts and still managed to struggle with sales. I just think people aren’t willing to stomach prices and don’t see the phones as moving the needles enough.

The mid range market is filled with so many alternatives to the 2018 iPhones that people may look to there, including older iPhone generations.

An iPhone 8 has a better proposition now that the price is much more affordable.
 
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The XR had some poor timing, not just being due to iOS 12 allowing older iPhones to perform more efficiently, but the battery replacement program really affected those considering upgrading, which Tim Cook himself commented on.

But realistically, the XR will be fine -long-term-, and it’s a Phone slated for China’s commerce. It Will be interesting to see what the XR two has to offer likely in the fall.
 
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I agree. The XR is doing really well.

I’m in London 5 days a week and I’m seeing a LOT of XRs all of a sudden. I think that the carrier price cuts and the iPhone exchange programme of the last few months has really worked here.

I’m also seeing loads more X/XR’s around - I have a feeling that they’re the refurbished X’s that have suddenly appeared via our network carriers. A XS Max is still a very rare sighting in London.

As a few people have said, I think it was the 2018 new model price increases that people were unwilling to shoulder - not that they didn’t want to upgrade.
 
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iPhone sales are not what they used to be. Remember back in the days when Apple would announce first weekend sales. It was 5 million then it was 7.5 million then 9 million then the iPhone 6 checked in at 13 million and it stopped. It was at that time that we had "Peak iPhone".. the iPhone 6 was the most popular generation iPhone and that's where I think it started to slow. That's where it STARTED. Then the 6s, 7 were slower times and everyone thought the 8, 8 Plus and X was gonna me a "Super Cycle" and it wasn't AGAIN.

Then comes the 2018 iPhone models which by all intents and purposes were kinda "meh" except for the iPhone Xʀ. Everyone was interested in this new $750 “X” model iPhone. It was “Liquid Retina” and it was $250 cheaper than any OLED model “X” version. Then Apple releases it 6 weeks later than the OLED versions. Why? I’m pretty certain I know why. I personally believe it was because Apple was afraid it would cannibalize sales of the more expensive iPhone XS. Apple fit the Xʀ weirdly into its lineup because you get a bigger screen than the one on the iPhone X(S) and the battery life is the best battery life you’ve ever had on an iPhone. So Apple thinks this strategy of releasing it 6 weeks later is the best thing to do. It may have been if there goal was to keep the ASP up on the iPhones, but if there intentions were to push more iPhone’s then I think they would have been wise to release all 3 models together.

I Personally doubt there were a lot of customers like me. I bought the XS Max on launch though I knew I wanted to check the Xʀ out first. So I get the XS on launch then 6 weeks later I get the iPhone Xʀ and to my in-surprise I actually love the iPhone Xʀ and have not used my Max for a very long time.

I just feel like Apple themselves crippled the iPhone sales this year almost intentionally. Of course I know I’m not smarter than they are... they’re a trillion dollar business. That said I do believe the Xʀ is still doing its job and I believe that it is the best selling iPhone out of the 2018 iPhone lineup. I just feel like they could have and probably would have sold more of this iPhone lineup had there not been a 6 week gap between releases, however I also realize that the 2017 iPhone lineup was released the same way so who knows ‍♂️
 
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I’ve noticed more and more XRs recently.

The funny thing is that when Apple releases a “lower cost” iPhone, analysts and commentators assume that phone is aimed for China, and the phones typically don’t do well in China. However, they end up doing fine in the US and Europe.
 
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We are just in an era now where smartphones are good enough for more than 2 years of use. I see a lot of iPhone 8’s and 8+’s about and it makes me wonder if it’s because they are on really good deals right now? I’ve seen quite a few XR’s, but not many X’s or XS. I’ve seen a couple of Max’s and that’s it. I don’t think the more expensive iPhones have the wider appeal to be honest and a lot of that has to be due to the price. It obviously depends where in the world you are too as I get the impression the top end iPhones are much more popular in the US compared to Europe.

To put it into perspective I paid £640 for my 8+ a few days after the XR came out which was £110 cheaper. I think with people changing batteries on older iPhones and the previous years iPhones being competitive on price with decent performance, Apple are discovering the market demand has shifted away from the latest and greatest being on every users wish list.

It’s also worth mentioning that the XR is a big device and will not appeal to everybody for that reason too. I think it should have been closer in size to the XS for maximum appeal.
 
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I wanted to upgrade my iPhone 8 for the dual sim of the X lineup. I wanted the XS but could not justify its price (CAD) , The Xr is a wicked phone and the price especially with carrier discounts makes it even harder to justify X and XS pricing.

Selling my 64GB iPhone 8 got me the 128GB Xr with a bit of money in my pocket.

It’s a little bigger then I wanted consider the XS would of been the perfect size , but I love this phone , don’t miss my iPhone 8 one bit.
 
I've got both the XR and the XS Max - I find myself using the R more at home for music and podcasts. My Max is where my main SIM is and is likely to remain, hopefully for years.

But I do like the R and suspect the sales numbers to be quite high, although not near breaking any records.
 
Going by Mixpanel data (tracking website visits) https://mixpanel.com/trends/#report/iphone_models iPhone XR is doing ok with about 5% adoption (on par with iPhone XS Max, and iPhone SE). The most in-use model is the iPhone 7 with 15% followed by iPhone X with around 12%. I think the most interesting trend-line is from the iPhone SE. While every other older model declines in adoption over time, the iPhone SE is almost flat (it’s stayed the same since summer 2017). A certain subset of people, myself included like their small phones.
 
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I have a XS Max, because I love big phones. But I kinda regret not waiting for the XR. I’m the only person that I know that has the max. But between friends and coworkers, I now know 6 people that have the XR.

I think it’s doing relatively well - here it’s $0 on a contract. Plus it’s the “new” version of the phone. I think the average, non-forum person just wants the newest looking phone for the lowest price.
 
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Ffosse said:
I've got both the XR and the XS Max - I find myself using the R more at home for music and podcasts. My Max is where my main SIM is and is likely to remain, hopefully for years.

But I do like the R and suspect the sales numbers to be quite high, although not near breaking any records.
Click to expand...

I don't get the two device thing at all mate. its kinda weird even.
 
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dontwalkhand said:
I feel that the iPhone XR is actually selling a lot more better than most people are giving it credit for. I’ve noticed more XRs out in public than ever, including people using it for Apple Pay, getting on the bus etc. I don’t understand the hate that this phone has gotten. Now I do admit that they should have made a smaller version for people who don’t want a “plus” but why is Apple complaining that this phone isn’t selling enough?
Click to expand...

Don’t know why you think apple is complaining about xr sales.
It’s actually selling very well and has been the best selling iPhone since it launched in November.
It’s the same analysts that claimed the iPhone X was a failure last year, we all know how that turned out for them.
 
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AppleWes said:
Apple fan sites might show hate, but 'general public' don't. I really like my XR, and many family members/friends/coworkers feel the same way who've also bought one.
Click to expand...

Exactly. When the general public see the XR side by side with Apples other iPhones on display, they realise it’s a great phone for a fairly good price. I’ve heard from numerous sources the XR is the more popular of the newer models and I think people are seeing the value. You don’t have to pay Max prices to get essentially the same interface. Not to mention a lot of the general public not swotting up on the current phones will not be able to tell the difference anyway and those that do probably don’t care as long as they have an iPhone.
 
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upload_2019-3-26_11-54-1.png


XR adoption rate is higher than XS and Max even though it was launched more than month later. As expected, it's the mainstream iPhone that most people are buying.
 
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It’s really difficult to not acknowledge the XR, and what I mean by that, is with the considerable amount of marketing Apple has set forth through commercials, billboards, carrier subsidiary marketing, etc, that’s all the consumer really sees in terms of which phone is offering the best incentive/trade-ins. So when the consumer decides to trade their device in, obviously they will find one of the cheapest alternatives, and when they see the same form factor/Face ID and other features that the Xs offers, clearly the XR is the winner in that category. [And I generally don’t think the consumer even knows/cares that much about 3D Touch in the telephoto lens.]
 
Hicksmat1976 said:
I don't get the two device thing at all mate. its kinda weird even.
Click to expand...
One as a backup, plus I've got disposable income. If I only had one phone and it broke I'd be stuck trying to call someone as well as having access to all the apps and services I use. I wouldn't have 2 of the same model, though.

In the past I've had one iPhone and an Android, but I quickly fell out with Android so that only leaves iPhones.
 
Ffosse said:
One as a backup, plus I've got disposable income. If I only had one phone and it broke I'd be stuck trying to call someone as well as having access to all the apps and services I use. I wouldn't have 2 of the same model, though.

In the past I've had one iPhone and an Android, but I quickly fell out with Android so that only leaves iPhones.
Click to expand...

I think I could cope in the unlikely scenario I lost my phone or damaged it by cutting myself away from the pressures of work and social media for a day or two lol. It would be a nice excuse and I wouldn’t have to buy a £700 quid phone just in case. Each to their own though.
 
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