iPhone 7S/7S Plus...Why?

[blairh]

Assuming the rumors are true, the iPhone X will be roughly the size of an iPhone 7 with the screen size of an iPhone 7 Plus, what is the reason for the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus existing beyond price and availability? The iPhone X gives you the best of both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the smaller footprint and the larger screen.

I personally believe the iPhone X will start at $100 more than the base model iPhone 7 Plus (so $869) and I imagine Apple wants to offer new iPhone's this fall at a lower price point. (Hence the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus.) But price aside, I feel both phones are going to be a hard sell when you've got the iPhone X that everybody will truly want instead.

 

[pmau]

My guess is that carriers can offer cheap plans for 7S(plus) while keeping the iPhone 8 at a premium.

Also, Apple is smart and will market the 7S(plus) with the camera features to fans of photos with LCD being easier to calibrate as opposed to OLED.

I can imagine the iPhone 8 being a "show off" premium model that offers different materials and a smaller camera bump.
It would not surprise me if the features would be inferior to 7S(plus).
Just like the Gold Apple Watch.

It might be that the integrated TouchID will have to drop 3D Touch and that the front camera will feature something like face recognition.

Be prepared that Apple will screw around with the features of the models to make it harder to decide.
Also, I believe the price points will be horrible. You will see $1200 if you are lucky.

 

[blairh]

Be prepared that Apple will screw around with the features of the models to make it harder to decide.
Also, I believe the price points will be horrible. You will see $1200 if you are lucky.

I'm confident it won't start any higher than $869.

I still see no reason for the 7S/7S Plus to exist beyond price and availability.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Plenty of business accounts that don't need a state-of-the-art device but still need a larger screen than the SE offers.

 

[blairh]

Plenty of business accounts that don't need a state-of-the-art device but still need a larger screen than the SE offers.

Seeing that the iPhone 7/7 Plus will most likely still be available come fall for $100 less post-keynote, that would satisfy that need. Not a reason to release 7S/7S Plus.

 

[JUCJ85]

If they only released the 8 or whatever it will be called, then the demand will outweigh the demand for people who want a new iPhone or coming over from Android, the more options, the better, not everyone will want to get the 8, and they may not like the design of the 8. Sure it's a bigger screen than the Plus models, but some may like having a larger phone.

The more devices(7S, 7S+ & 8) in say 6 Colors(Red, Jet Black, Matte Black, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold), and 3 capacities(whatever they may be) is what is best IMO, that way there are more choices for people out there, so they don't have to get the 8 if they wish to upgrade.

I can't see the 8 being that cheap, if they do it that low, it may be 64GB, or 128GB, with the largest option being either 256GB or even 512GB since the iPad Pro's now come in 512GB options.

 

[blairh]

Sure it's a bigger screen than the Plus models, but some may like having a larger phone.

The more devices(7S, 7S+ & 8) in say 6 Colors(Red, Jet Black, Matte Black, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold), and 3 capacities(whatever they may be) is what is best IMO, that way there are more choices for people out there, so they don't have to get the 8 if they wish to upgrade.

I can't see the 8 being that cheap, if they do it that low, it may be 64GB, or 128GB, with the largest option being either 256GB or even 512GB since the iPad Pro's now come in 512GB options.

Why would anyone want a larger phone with a smaller screen?

Saying there are more color options is a pretty silly reason to create additional phone models. My guess is that the GB of the X will be the same as the 7S/7S Plus, but at higher price points.

I don't think you'll see a 512 GB iPhone this year. $869 will simply be the price to pay if you want the truly best iPhone. What storage it will start at I don't know but knowing Apple it wouldn't shock me at 32 GB with a 128 GB model next at $969.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Why would anyone want a larger phone with a smaller screen?

Saying there are more color options is a pretty silly reason to create additional phone models. My guess is that the GB of the X will be the same as the 7S/7S Plus, but at higher price points.

I don't think you'll see a 512 GB iPhone this year. $869 will simply be the price to pay if you want the truly best iPhone. What storage it will start at I don't know but knowing Apple it wouldn't shock me at 32 GB with a 128 GB model next at $969.

$869 will not buy you the best iPhone this year. It will be over $1K.

 

[blairh]

$869 will not buy you the best iPhone this year. It will be over $1K.

I completely disagree. Consumers are now paying the entire price of their phones via carriers and no matter how amazing the new iPhone will be, they will simply scoff at the notion of having to pay 1k for it.

While I do expect a second or third tier model reaching 1k or more, I absolutely do not believe the iPhone X will cost 1k for the base model.

Also marketing wise it makes no sense. $999 is a lot less appealing to consumers than say $869.

 

[mtneer]

A $1000+ phone will be extremely expensive in many emerging markets (China, India, E.Europe etc.) Heck, it may even stretch the budgets in the vast majority of non-tech/ non-1% population in the West too. I think that is why they are producing cheaper models with deprecated casing molds and production recipes, to maintain overall margin.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I completely disagree. Consumers are now paying the entire price of their phones via carriers and no matter how amazing the new iPhone will be, they will simply scoff at the notion of having to pay 1k for it.

While I do expect a second or third tier model reaching 1k or more, I absolutely do not believe the iPhone X will cost 1k for the base model.

Also marketing wise it makes no sense. $999 is a lot less appealing to consumers than say $869.

Best to me would be the 7S+ or 8 with the maximum memory. Heck my 7+ cost over $1k from Apple.

 

[blairh]

I think that is why they are producing cheaper models with deprecated casing molds and production recipes, to maintain overall margin.

That's the only reason I can come up with.

I see this.

iPhone 7S ($649/$749/$849)
iPhone 7S Plus ($769/$869/$969)
iPhone X ($869/$979/$1079)

I also wouldn't be surprised if the X comes in two storage tiers only.

 

[JUCJ85]

Why would anyone want a larger phone with a smaller screen?

Saying there are more color options is a pretty silly reason to create additional phone models. My guess is that the GB of the X will be the same as the 7S/7S Plus, but at higher price points.

I don't think you'll see a 512 GB iPhone this year. $869 will simply be the price to pay if you want the truly best iPhone. What storage it will start at I don't know but knowing Apple it wouldn't shock me at 32 GB with a 128 GB model next at $969.

All I'm saying is the more choices the better. When Demand outweighs Supply, there's a big issue, as we've seen Apple not have enough units for Pre Orders, same goes for any new electronics, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo's new Switch, etc....

It's better to have as many options available as possible IMO. It's 2017, not 2007 when you had 1 color(I believe), in 2 or 3 capacities, and only on AT&T.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I will leave the marketing up to Apple.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

I will leave the marketing up to Apple.

What? You don't want to be an armchair CEO?

 

[Newtons Apple]

What? You don't want to be an armchair CEO?

I am a CEO but not Apple's.

I did get one of those new "X" chairs and it does have arms!

Now my employees want to know where their new chairs are!

 

[blairh]

All I'm saying is the more choices the better. When Demand outweighs Supply, there's a big issue, as we've seen Apple not have enough units for Pre Orders, same goes for any new electronics, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo's new Switch, etc....

It's better to have as many options available as possible IMO. It's 2017, not 2007 when you had 1 color(I believe), in 2 or 3 capacities, and only on AT&T.

Apple could make the iPhone X in a variety of finishes if having more choices is what really mattered in said scenario. This is about profits made per iPhone and availability at launch.

 

[Math889]

I really want to see the 7s+.
If the design wont change

The only reason to upgrade is A11 processor . That's it

 

[janeauburn]

I will say good riddance to these stupid sizes of the 6-7 series. I think they'll go down as the crummiest Apple phones ever. So many bad decisions oozing out of those products. It's hard to believe people went into a room with these ideas/products and not one of them had the guts or clout to say "bad!" Then again, most people (techies) are just sheep bleeting in their cubicles/open offices, waiting for their bi-weekly paychecks. What else is new?

Slippery
Both sizes suck, each in its own way
Downgrades in speaker phone quality
Too heavy for plus
Clumsy to carry either
Did I mention slippery?
Hard to hold...hard to like

Just really horrible products.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

I will say good riddance to these stupid sizes of the 6-7 series. I think they'll go down as the crummiest Apple phones ever. So many bad decisions oozing out of those products. It's hard to believe people went into a room with these ideas/products and not one of them had the guts or clout to say "bad!" Then again, most people (techies) are just sheep bleeting in their cubicles/open offices, waiting for their bi-weekly paychecks. What else is new?

Slippery
Both sizes suck, each in its own way
Downgrades in speaker phone quality
Too heavy for plus
Clumsy to carry either
Did I mention slippery?
Hard to hold...hard to like

Just really horrible products.

Wow. Who peed in your Corn Flakes?

Many of us love the sizes. Not too heavy, either. Add far as sound quality, that's subjective.

Clumsy to carry?! What?

BTW, it's "bleating."

And your pejorative use of the word "sheep" tells me all I need to know.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I will say good riddance to these stupid sizes of the 6-7 series. I think they'll go down as the crummiest Apple phones ever. So many bad decisions oozing out of those products. It's hard to believe people went into a room with these ideas/products and not one of them had the guts or clout to say "bad!" Then again, most people (techies) are just sheep bleeting in their cubicles/open offices, waiting for their bi-weekly paychecks. What else is new?

Slippery
Both sizes suck, each in its own way
Downgrades in speaker phone quality
Too heavy for plus
Clumsy to carry either
Did I mention slippery?
Hard to hold...hard to like

Just really horrible products.

We will put you down as a "maybe"

Hope you have a better weekend.

 

[44267547]

I will say good riddance to these stupid sizes of the 6-7 series. I think they'll go down as the crummiest Apple phones ever. So many bad decisions oozing out of those products. It's hard to believe people went into a room with these ideas/products and not one of them had the guts or clout to say "bad!" Then again, most people (techies) are just sheep bleeting in their cubicles/open offices, waiting for their bi-weekly paychecks. What else is new?

Slippery
Both sizes suck, each in its own way
Downgrades in speaker phone quality
Too heavy for plus
Clumsy to carry either
Did I mention slippery?
Hard to hold...hard to like

Just really horrible products.

Fortunately, your opinion(s) doesn't match the millions of others that use iPhones every day without issue. But to say "Really horrible products", doesn't equate to much evidence against Apple either.

 

[noobinator]

An alternative to the $1200+ iPhone 8.

 

[Brien]

I completely disagree. Consumers are now paying the entire price of their phones via carriers and no matter how amazing the new iPhone will be, they will simply scoff at the notion of having to pay 1k for it.

While I do expect a second or third tier model reaching 1k or more, I absolutely do not believe the iPhone X will cost 1k for the base model.

Also marketing wise it makes no sense. $999 is a lot less appealing to consumers than say $869.

I think you underestimate the amount of affluent Apple customers (and/or willingness to go into debt for phones). I think there's room for a lower production, "premium" iPhone slotted above the current models. I don't think Apple expects it to be the top seller.

 

[blairh]

I think you underestimate the amount of affluent Apple customers (and/or willingness to go into debt for phones). I think there's room for a lower production, "premium" iPhone slotted above the current models. I don't think Apple expects it to be the top seller.

I disagree. A premium tier this year for the redesign is a recipe for disaster. You will single out countless consumers who want this redesign and are not willing to pay 1K nor purchase a model they don't truly want. (7S/7S Plus). I believe the X will start at $899, which is still very expensive.