'iPhone 8' Still Expected to Launch in September in Limited Quantities

[toph2toast]

If they wanted to they could manufacture enough so that everyone who wants one could have it within the first month. It isn't like they don't know what the demand for their products are.

Apple sold 78.29 million iPhones in Q1 2017. Someone on this thread mentioned that at full capacity Apple can ship 800,000 phones each day. So to meet the iPhone demand in 1 quarter, it would take almost 98 days to make all those phones, which is roughly 3 months.

The iPhone 7/7+ was released on September 16, 2016. So lets that they are cranking out 800k phones a day (unlikely because its a new product so they'd have to work out the kinks at first). They'd need to have all designs and testing done, as well as every single component ready by June 16, 2016 at the latest just to have enough stock for 3 months worth of product.

Lets go one step further and look at total iphone sales in 2016, which was roughly 215 million based on a bar chart I phone from business insider. Applying the same 800k phone yield to the 215 million sales in a year, it would take them 268 days to satisfy a year of iPhone demand, which is ~9 months straight. That's not very realistic.

 

[I7guy]

Didnt you just say the OLED iPhone will sell like hotcakes? Then what about burn in. Werent you talkin about mass scale OLEDs being returned and that all OLEDs have burn in just a few weeks ago?. Thats what I am asking. Dont deflect from the point.

And I do represent the masses which is why I guarantee the OLED iPhone will give Apple more profits than the 7S and will be the iPhone to break all records

It will sell like hot cakes. Doesnt mean I will buy one or that "everyone" will want one; it will be popular no doubt. Yes I did post a link with evidence suggesting burn in is not appreciated and oled tvs are being returned due to burn in, but I can't speculate on the return percentage.

I'm glad you can speak for the masses, however you don't speak for me.

 

[mazz0]

You're setting yourselves up for disappointment with these concepts - I very much doubt it's going to be bezel-less at the bottom, and it's not going to have a cutout from the screen at the top. I suspect it's going to look a lot like the Galaxy S8, only more tasteful.

 

[Wags]

They will call the 7s just iPhone and then iPhone Pro for the '8'

 

[Saturn1217]

Apple will never approach the level of mind numbing incompetence on display at google, where they still can't reliably keep their flagship pixel phone in stock nearly half a year after release! I say this as an Android fan! Just want to provide some perspective. Apple really doesn't do that badly with managing stock. Is there any other OEM that has to manage quite that level of short-term demand?

On an unrelated note, I am still shocked that this plan to release a minimally updated 7s alongside the real flagship 'Pro' or 'Edition' is still going forward. Just seems like a terrible way to shaft customers. Especially if the 7s and 7s+ models stay the same price...

 

[Azzin]

I also wonder if SIM Free aka unlocked will be available on day one?

It will in the UK.
[doublepost=1490293799][/doublepost]

If you ask me, Tim could easily be replaced and nothing would change. Steve set that company up to have strength at all levels. As a CEO Tim's job is to cast vision and sooth investors. I highly doubt he's hands on like Steve was. I think it's evident by all the trips Tim takes. So why is Tim CEO... I don't know. At this point I'd say it's to assure investors since he's Steve's "chosen" successor. I think he's easily replaceable with the type of CEO role he at least appears to be playing out.

Apple tried replacing their CEO once before, look how that turned out.

 

[wigby]

Tim 'supply chain expert' Cook strikes again! I'll go ahead and give him the benefit of the doubt that perhaps the "iPhone 8" is so revolutionary that only very few manufacturers can produce it to Apple's exacting standards, thus lowering the amount of product that can be produced.

Well, it's either that or they're purposely doing this to inflate the demand. Not sure which.

What are they "doing"? The iPhone won't begin shipping for another 6 months at best.

 

[SuchAndSuch]

I am kind of wondering why no one is writing about it (at least I haven't seen it) but I expect Apple to change the iPhone name completely to simply "Apple Phone" (Apple-Logo and then simply "Phone"), since that seems to be their new namestrategy for completely new products (Apple Watch, Apple Pay). Since it is the 10th anyversary for the iPhone it would make sense to start a new generation of iPhones and, like they did wit the iPad twice just make it "the phone" which would be the message behind just "Apple Phone". To me it seems like Apple would love to put their company name in your mouth every time you talk bout their product Also, the "i" stands for internet. Since today everything ist online it is long overdue to drop the "i" like Apple dropped the CD from the iTunes Logo a few years ago. Lastly the number 10 in the name is approaching and I doubt they would continue with numbers like 11 and so forth so it's about time to rebrand the name slightly and start over with the numbers or go a totally different direction.

 

[eoblaed]

That logic just completely baffles me. While the the manufacturers very well might not be able to crank them out quick enough, if Apple really wanted to solve this problem, they could. Supplies have been "constrained" for 10 years now.

Building all the extra factories that would be required to meet the initial launch-day demand would be stupid.

After that initial surge, they'd have a bunch of unused factories sitting around, costing huge amounts of money for majority of the rest of the year. It's far better to find that 'sweet spot' that will let you meet as much of the demand as you practically can on launch day while still giving you a reasonable amount of manufacturing capacity throughout the year without wasting huge amounts of resources maintaining those now-silent factories, paying lease on the land etc.

The idea that a company like Apple would intentionally limit manufacturing below what they could reasonably achieve baffles me. Every day a prospective customer doesn't get an iPhone increases the chance they'll go off and purchase a device from some other manufacturer.

As usual, the reality is far more complex than all these arm-chair supply-chain generals could possibly imagine.

 

[I7guy]

Apple will never approach the level of mind numbing incompetence on display at google, where they still can't reliably keep their flagship pixel phone in stock nearly half a year after release! I say this as an Android fan! Just want to provide some perspective. Apple really doesn't do that badly with managing stock. Is there any other OEM that has to manage quite that level of short-term demand?

On an unrelated note, I am still shocked that this plan to release a minimally updated 7s alongside the real flagship 'Pro' or 'Edition' is still going forward. Just seems like a terrible way to shaft customers. Especially if the 7s and 7s+ models stay the same price...

Why are customers being shafted and who is making that determination?

 

[t0mat0]

although the majority of iPhone Pro volumes may not be available until Q4.[\QUOTE]

Like most iPhone launches?

Whilst they want volume sales, presumably they can't make too many as they need to check there aren't any critical issues with manufacturing and also quickly make any smaller tweaks needed?

Scalpers delight.

 

[toph2toast]

I am kind of wondering why no one is writing about it (at least I haven't seen it) but I expect Apple to change the iPhone name completely to simply "Apple Phone" (Apple-Logo and then simply "Phone"), since that seems to be their new namestrategy for completely new products (Apple Watch, Apple Pay). Since it is the 10th anyversary for the iPhone it would make sense to start a new generation of iPhones and, like they did wit the iPad twice just make it "the phone" which would be the message behind just "Apple Phone". To me it seems like Apple would love to put their company name in your mouth every time you talk bout their product Also, the "i" stands for internet. Since today everything ist online it is long overdue to drop the "i" like Apple dropped the CD from the iTunes Logo a few years ago. Lastly the number 10 in the name is approaching and I doubt they would continue with numbers like 11 and so forth so it's about time to rebrand the name slightly and start over with the numbers or go a totally different direction.

I think the "iPhone" name is way to popular for them to change it, and would just lead to confusion. Plus that naming convention can't apply to every one of their devices/services (such as the iMac, Mac Pro, Macbook, iPod, iPad, iTunes, iBooks, iMovie, iCloud).

 

[Phone Junky]

IUP customers might as well start their "we should have priority over everyone else" thread. You know there's gonna be problems.

 

[bobenhaus]

What is wrong with Apple? They do this every time with a new iPhone launch. Always limited quantities of the product and they do it on purpose to create demand. Obviously Apple can wait a few more months or weeks to have more product at launch.

 

[44267547]

IUP customers might as well start their "we should have priority over everyone else" thread. You know there's gonna be problems.

Hopefully Apple learned a lesson from that last year. I'm not part of the Apple upgrade program, but that was a complete disaster when Apple had to start pulling stock from carriers over to the upgrade members, who could not get their iPhones.

And of course, constraint was an issue where they didn't have enough iPhones to make up for the masses that were to be sent to carriers, upgrade members, and third party retailers.

If Apple is slated to start production earlier, hopefully that will at least alleviate some of the demand early on.

 

[I7guy]

I am kind of wondering why no one is writing about it (at least I haven't seen it) but I expect Apple to change the iPhone name completely to simply "Apple Phone" (Apple-Logo and then simply "Phone"), since that seems to be their new namestrategy for completely new products (Apple Watch, Apple Pay). Since it is the 10th anyversary for the iPhone it would make sense to start a new generation of iPhones and, like they did wit the iPad twice just make it "the phone" which would be the message behind just "Apple Phone". To me it seems like Apple would love to put their company name in your mouth every time you talk bout their product Also, the "i" stands for internet. Since today everything ist online it is long overdue to drop the "i" like Apple dropped the CD from the iTunes Logo a few years ago. Lastly the number 10 in the name is approaching and I doubt they would continue with numbers like 11 and so forth so it's about time to rebrand the name slightly and start over with the numbers or go a totally different direction.

People call the Apple Watch the iwatch. This thought about the rebrand while actually a great thought will never get the masses to agree.

 

[ovo6]

If it's limited like the AirPods Apple is drunk

 

[ziggie216]

I know it's a concept art but at least make it a little more realistic. No freaking way the screen can be so close to the front camera considering how physically big the camera's component is.

 

[rodpascoe]

I am kind of wondering why no one is writing about it (at least I haven't seen it) but I expect Apple to change the iPhone name completely to simply "Apple Phone" (Apple-Logo and then simply "Phone"), since that seems to be their new namestrategy for completely new products (Apple Watch, Apple Pay). Since it is the 10th anyversary for the iPhone it would make sense to start a new generation of iPhones and, like they did wit the iPad twice just make it "the phone" which would be the message behind just "Apple Phone". To me it seems like Apple would love to put their company name in your mouth every time you talk bout their product Also, the "i" stands for internet. Since today everything ist online it is long overdue to drop the "i" like Apple dropped the CD from the iTunes Logo a few years ago. Lastly the number 10 in the name is approaching and I doubt they would continue with numbers like 11 and so forth so it's about time to rebrand the name slightly and start over with the numbers or go a totally different direction.

I think the "iPhone" name is way to popular for them to change it, and would just lead to confusion. Plus that naming convention can't apply to every one of their devices/services (such as the iMac, Mac Pro, Macbook, iPod, iPad, iTunes, iBooks, iMovie, iCloud).

People call the Apple Watch the iwatch. This thought about the rebrand while actually a great thought will never get the masses to agree.

SuchAndSuch, I think you are spot on right. I can absolutely see them doing this and hope that they do.

The 'i' in front of everything is getting a bit old and tired now, here's hoping you're correct with your prediction.

 

[EdT]

Apple will never approach the level of mind numbing incompetence on display at google, where they still can't reliably keep their flagship pixel phone in stock nearly half a year after release! I say this as an Android fan! Just want to provide some perspective. Apple really doesn't do that badly with managing stock. Is there any other OEM that has to manage quite that level of short-term demand?

On an unrelated note, I am still shocked that this plan to release a minimally updated 7s alongside the real flagship 'Pro' or 'Edition' is still going forward. Just seems like a terrible way to shaft customers. Especially if the 7s and 7s+ models stay the same price...

As several people have pointed out, Apple is not the ones releasing this 'news' it's analysts from 3rd party companies which are guessing to some degree or another. Some of 3rd parties have a history of being right, at least a lot of the time, but none of them are infallible.

 

[spazzcat]

I think it will be called "iPhone" no number

 

[kemal]

I want an iPhone made out of SuperBall rubber. They could call it the "iPhone Z". Z for
Zectron!

 

[maflynn]

Why do we have to put up with limited quantities, its not like Apple is surprised by the popularity. They know its going to be a hot seller, why not make enough.

 

[McFlyOz]

Whatever it is that will be released by lil' Timmeh later this year will be great and I will certainly get one! Be doing the old AT&T soul swapping upgrade BUT, seeing as my 6S+ will be almost paid off by then, I'll have a new "iPod" to use.

 

[SeaFox]

On the good side, Releasing the iPhone 8 in such a limited fashion will allow them to work out the inevitable hardware/design bugs, so when the new design becomes the norm over the entire lineup the following year or two, it will be better.