iPhone 7 Demand Has 'Peaked' as Shipments Forecasted to Decline Significantly Over Next Two Months

[Digital Skunk]

They keep saying significant spec improvements, but what were they looking for?

To be honest, I have the 6 Plus and I'm still waiting NOT because of a lack of specs, but because it's a solid bloody phone.

The 7 Plus gives me some of the enhancements I'd come to expect from any other handset maker, Samsung included: Better camera, better battery life, better/easier navigation, more robust build and/or waterproofing, improved screen, etc.

Where they looking for 8 cores with 16GB RAM?

 

[stotty]

There must be plenty of investors who already believe iPhone sales will tank significantly. Right now, Apple is being dumped faster than any other major tech stock on Wall Street. There has to be a very solid reason for that. Apple is really looking bad and Tim Cook can't stop it.

 

[bpeeps]

It only makes sense to buy an iPhone within a few weeks of release. I always believed in staggering the release dates; 4.7" at the beginning of the year and 5.5" in fall. But Apple prefers top heavy sales.

This makes zero sense.

 

[skellener]

That seems rather dismal considering we haven't even hit Black Friday.

 

[pat500000]

They keep saying significant spec improvements, but what were they looking for?

To be honest, I have the 6 Plus and I'm still waiting NOT because of a lack of specs, but because it's a solid bloody phone.

The 7 Plus gives me some of the enhancements I'd come to expect from any other handset maker, Samsung included: Better camera, better battery life, better/easier navigation, more robust build and/or waterproofing, improved screen, etc.

Where they looking for 8 cores with 16GB RAM?

Tim was looking for something to replace Mac Pro.

 

[skellener]

Where they looking for 8 cores with 16GB RAM?

No, just thinner phones.

 

[stotty]

Faster than any other tech stock? I think not. Amazon was $844 5 weeks ago, $718 today. GOOGL down $80 per share since 10/25. Apple down $13 over the same time period. Apple's weakness has a lot more to do with Trump's threat of Chinese trade tariffs and ban on production outsourcing than it has to do with iPhone sales. By the way, neither of these concerns will ever amount to anything. Trump cannot force Apple to move production back to USA and he cannot, without wrecking our economy, impose 45% tariffs on Chinese imports. Apple investors should instead be paying attention to Trump's willingness to back a tax rate that will allow Apple and other techs to repatriate the trillions in overseas cash.

 

[Anthjo]

The whole smartphone market has peaked in general. Iphones and Androids they are all pretty good and long lasting these days, plus when you remove the carrier subsidies, than people just aren't going to rush for a new phone every year like before.

This. Exactly.

Even midrange Androids and older model iPhones can do what the average person needs them to do, so unless you're a power user or have specific, cutting edge needs, there's no reason that compels the average person to go out and drop $750 on a phone.

 

[Lankyman]

Wow! who would believe it? Apple launches a 'new iPhone' pretty much the same as the one it replaced and demand is 'soft'. Perhaps people (well some people) aren't as gullible as Apple believes them to be.

 

[djcerla]

Kuo is simply wrong, as he was with his claim that the AirPods were positioned at an higher end than Beats.

No clue whatsoever.

 

[Mac 128]

Why is Kuo to be believed? Why does his word carry more weight than Tim Cook's numbers? Would Tim Cook actually be lying about improving iPhone sales? I honestly don't understand how Kuo would have more insight to iPhone sales than any other analyst. Also his conclusions could be wrong. No significant upgrades brings about lower sales? What type of upgrade would boost sales? I'm willing to bet consumers aren't buying iPhones because they only intend to upgrade every so often and it's also possible that iPhone prices have increased globally and many more consumers can't afford to pay that much.

I think most Samsung Note 7 users are going to wait for the Note 8. No iPhone would have been a substitute for a Note 7 because the Note 7 has such a different feature set. That S-Pen may be a big deal to those users and the iPhone has nothing like that.

Please do enlighten me on Tim Cook's numbers. The last I knew, none had been published. As Apple chose not to disclose sales figures on the iPhone 7.

Well the iPhone 7 Plus is still out of stock in most models and in most Apple stores...

Perhaps because of the well publicized supply problems?

 

[Jakexb]

Still tryna figure out why anyone bought this phone at all...

Camera is really nice. Battery life is better. Love not worrying about rain or water splashing.

 

[RedOrchestra]

Still tryna figure out why anyone bought this phone at all...

The camera with OIS and improved aperature make the 7 worth every penny of the upgrade.

The 7 / 7+ is where it's at RIGHT NOW ... over the gimmickery of the rumoured 7s / 8 / anniversary edition in 2017.

 

[fatalogic]

If I'm not mistaken didn't Apple anticipate this and reduce the product order for the Iphone 7 before they went on sale.

 

[decafjava]

Wow! who would believe it? Apple launches a 'new iPhone' pretty much the same as the one it replaced and demand is 'soft'. Perhaps people (well some people) aren't as gullible as Apple believes them to be.

Except it's not the same - I'm not going to bother listing the differences which are more than skin-deep.

 

[nwcs]

iPhone 7 demand peaked and shipments expected to decline... Hey, Apple, here's a hint: give us the iPhone 7 SE in the 4" screen factor and watch those sales zip right back up! I've got the money and the time, give me what I want.

 

[2457282]

This is pretty basic history that is being predicted. iPhone sales are very high in release quarter and then drop off for the rest of the year.

 

[DynaFXD]

I bought mine because it only cost $175, which was $250 for the used iPhone 6 I bought to use as the trade-in for AT&T's free iPhone 7 upgrade offer, minus the $75 gift card I got from Samsclub for buying the phone on the day of the release.

Well good on you for working the system to your benefit. However, free phones aren't free. At the very least, you are now on the hook for two years of service with an ETF to make up for it if you leave early. Which for me is no big deal, I like ATT. However, there is also the issue of the small fee that they add for subsidized phones on the monthly bill. Once you pay them off, end your contract, of if you bring your own it goes away. Don't know about the "free" phone offer, however. Would be surprised if it weren't hiding in there as well. So again, good job for playing the game , but dollars to donuts if you decide to walk from ATT before 2019, you'll find out that phone was more than $175.

 

[TomaxXamot]

I cancelled my order because it was taking so long and in that time I decided to vote with my wallet regarding the headphone jack. Not that I have a shred of hope that they'll ever bring it back. Will decide in the future if I'm staying with iOS.

 

[BarcelonaPaul]

iPhone 7 demand peaked and shipments expected to decline... Hey, Apple, here's a hint: give us the iPhone 7 SE in the 4" screen factor and watch those sales zip right back up! I've got the money and the time, give me what I want.

Totally with you on that. I looked at the 7 again today and to me, it's huge! My wife has the SE and I love it BUT i like the 7 stereo speakers, 256GB option, waterproofing & toughened glass. For me, i'm waiting for the 8! New design please you lazy designers at Apple!

 

[BlackLight]

It's been over a week now since I ordered my 128GB Black iPhone 7 Plus and it still shows processing . I really hope I get it for X-Mas.

 

[BootsWalking]

Well good on you for working the system to your benefit. However, free phones aren't free. At the very least, you are now on the hook for two years of service with an ETF to make up for it if you leave early. Which for me is no big deal, I like ATT. However, there is also the issue of the small fee that they add for subsidized phones on the monthly bill. Once you pay them off, end your contract, of if you bring your own it goes away. Don't know about the "free" phone offer, however. Would be surprised if it weren't hiding in there as well. So again, good job for playing the game , but dollars to donuts if you decide to walk from ATT before 2019, you'll find out that phone was more than $175.

I was planning to stay on AT&T for the next two years so the obligation isn't a negative for me. Also, there is no extra monthly fee for the plan associated with the "free" phone. My activation fee was also waived as part of the Samsclub deal.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

It only makes sense to buy an iPhone within a few weeks of release. I always believed in staggering the release dates; 4.7" at the beginning of the year and 5.5" in fall. But Apple prefers top heavy sales.

People would be SOOOOOOO mad if they did that. Can you imagine the crying from MR folks if they had to wait to get the phone they wanted?

It's so much smarter for Apple to continue doing it the way they do no. For the sake of sales and for the sake of their users.

 

[huggyb]

I still can't go into an Apple Store and pick up an iPhone 7 Plus in any color near me (silicon valley). It's a little ridiculous to me that they can't actually catch up with demand on the Plus 2 months since release. Thanks to TMobile's crap system, I have to wait for an iPhone to actually BE in stock for me to join the Apple Upgrade Program.

 

[kitsap2]

I was tempted, but I honestly said to myself, do I really need this for what I do? The Plus model would have been my choice, but I honestly didn't see the benefit. I settled for a 2 TB external drive so I could backup my MacBook Pro I purchased last year. Maybe next year I might consider it when its discounted with the launch of the iPhone 8.

I'm in the same boat, so to speak. I buy, and own an iPhone, for the experience of stability, always works, simple, everthing is there where I need it. I'm still very happy with my iPhone6 +. It just works. I don't use a condom on it, so it fits easily, in any pocket. What more would I want?

Apple makes products that work well for a long time (Long time in the tech world is 6 years, or so). I had a 13 mbp from mid '09 'til this past January. Upgraded to a mbp 15 (mid '14), which I should easily get 6 years of use from.

On the other hand, gear heads need their annual fix to keep things alive. I get that. I just don't have the use, or $$ for that.