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'iPhone 6s' Could Face Negative Growth Due to Low China Sales & Ambivalence Towards Force Touch

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Despite the immense popularity of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, a recent KGI prediction estimates that Apple may sell somewhere between 65 and 75 million of the so-called "iPhone 6s" and "iPhone 6s Plus" in Q4 2015, pointing towards a strong possibility of zero or negative growth year-over-year for the smartphone line.

According to Apple Daily [Google Translate] (via GforGames), the report states that the two biggest factors for the predicted performance plateau or decline of this year's iPhone lies in weak sales for China and public ambivalence towards Force Touch as a flagship feature of the "S" generation.

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The analyst quoted by the Taiwanese media says there are two main factors that could contribute to these results. First of all, compared to last year, smartphone sales in China have declined along with the spending power, and as you should all know, China is the largest smartphone market in the world.

Secondly, the analyst says that another big reason that could contribute to the iPhone 6s duo yielding zero or negative growth is Force Touch. More to the point, the technology itself should not slow down the market performance, but because Force Touch is supposed to be one of iPhone 6s' main new driving feature and due to the fact that the public hasn't been wowed by FT on the Watch and the new MacBook, the inclusion of Force Touch on the upcoming iPhone flagship might not attract as many customers as Apple might hope.
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Apple still has high hopes for China, remaining bullish on the country as becoming its "largest market in the future," spurring the company to factor in Chinese consumer tastes as major influences for the design of its products worldwide. If KGI's estimates become true, it would indeed come under Apple's results from earlier in the year, which the company reported to be 74.5 million iPhones sold total.

Although not a complete confirmation of the rumor, the KGI report also suggests that Apple recently reduced its manufacturing orders for the iPhone 6s by a total of 1 percent, pointing towards the possibility of a lower yield on this year's generation of iPhone. The most recent news on the "iPhone 6s" and "iPhone 6s Plus" described the way Force Touch may work on iOS, hinted at a stronger shell to avoid another "Bendgate" scandal, and pointed to a late-August ramp-up for mass production ahead of the predicted September reveal.

Update 7:45 AM: MacRumors has obtained a copy of Kuo's note outlining his thoughts on China and Force Touch.
Weaker-than-last-year China consumption a concern for new iPhone shipments momentum. China was the primary growth driver for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus shipments in 3Q14-2Q15. Demand from China could be weakened YoY in 2015 due to the stock market correction there, leaving shipments momentum of the 2015 new iPhone models in doubt.

No killer application created by Force Touch as yet. Force Touch has already been used in Apple Watch and MacBook without prompting strongly positive market feedback. We are, therefore, not certain whether it can provide sufficient appeal to shore up shipments momentum of the new iPhone models to be launched this year, though we are positive on its potential contribution to the Apple user experience in the long run.
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Kuo notes Force Touch players in Apple's supply chain will see a strong boost regardless of iPhone 6s sales numbers, given it's an entirely new business for these companies, but the effect on the rest of Apple's supply chain partners remains to be seen.

Article Link: 'iPhone 6s' Could Face Negative Growth Due to Low China Sales & Ambivalence Towards Force Touch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/08/11/iphone-6s-could-face-negative/
Super-resolution photography capability. Wouldn't see it before hand unless knew sensor was capable of it.
Would be a bigger thing than force touch.
 
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This report has a ring of truth to it, sadly.

Force Touch strikes me as a gimmick that most people will not find out about. Other than that, is there anything else new to the 6s? No doubt it will have a new processor and 2GB RAM and perhaps 32GB base storage, but these are humdrum iterations. Add in China, and you have a bear on the prowl.

Last time Apple's growth plummeted, so did the stock price. Let's hope that history doesn't repeat itself.
 
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I have a Macbook Pro with Force Touch. While the new touchpad is nice due to its ability to adjust the click threshold, I never use Force Touch. I doubt it would see much use on a phone either. If they could use it to replace the home button and then get rid of the huge bezels, they'd have something (of course they'd also have to find a way to integrate Touch ID into the display then). As it is, it's just a big "meh".
 
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dmj102 said:
Couldn't care less about Force Touch. It's funny how Apple tries to hype up a new feature and convince the world it's a must have.
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Benjamin Frost said:
This report has a ring of truth to it, sadly.

Force Touch strikes me as a gimmick that most people will not find out about..
Click to expand...

I dunno, Force Touch seems pretty cool to me. I've only used it on the rMBP trackpads, though, so can't comment on how good it is on the Apple Watch. I was using it with the definitive feeling of 'this is a next-gen thing that can be built on'. There's certainly massive potential to build around it, as there are only so many finger-gestures you can write on a standard trackpad before innovation is stagnated. There's no immediate need for it, yes - but give it time. Like when they went from the one-button trackpad :)
 
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A new feature that people are still learning on a new phone that isn't even official yet isn't going to save the new phone that isn't announced? Wow. Talk about publication-levels of "First!"

There are a lot of 5s and similar users who will upgrade as soon as the new thing comes out. More than enough, really, to make these morons look like morons. Just like always.
 
In the MacBook, Force touch right now is the definition of gimmic.
On the phone, if they really do implement it as rumored (as a shortcut), it would seem to me, like they first decided to make the display force touch capable and than thought about how to implement it into the software. Which I'm not so sure is the best way to do it.

I think force touch doesn't really matter either way. The problem is, that apples share in the Chinese smartphone market is shrinking because of all the new players who make phones that are very capable for much cheaper.
The iPhone 6 was, what many people hat waited for, matching its sales in this environment will be very very tough and I am not sure, Force Touch is going to be enough.
 
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