iPhone X Remained World's Most Popular Smartphone Last Quarter Despite Concerns About Poor Sales

[3.14maker]

This sort of argument is what gives the entire tech industry its perpetual vigor. There will always be companies, loyal consumers (blind or not), the "got to have the newest gadget" type, haters and the list could go on. One thing  does better than many technology companies is to not buy into this sort of revolving rhetoric. Although one could debate it is free advertising, again the fact remains there will always be individuals with something to say, regardless of what we work on. Consumers are free to choose whichever device (or none at all) which may help to add to their lives in some way. One of the most ongoing, challenging things we do in this industry, is to see the multi-faceted wants and needs of the consumer. Many in which the technology hasn't been created yet to begin new ideas.  feels it does the absolute best at being transparent, educating it's consumers in addition to listening to their input, concerns and also...that small privacy thing.

Again, an individual has the absolute right to choose whichever device suits their needs, yet one of the most difficult things to do, not just in tech but also life, is to remain open-minded to the many aspects of our technological renaissance and to our ever-changing world. There is and always will be those who want things to remain the same. This simply is not the nature of technology. We continue to imagine, create, explore, and recognise technological achievements, as well as the inevitable failures we face in quickly changing world.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Nicely written. In the end we are all CONSUMERS here.

And it's not OnlyPositiveCommentsAboutApple.com or OnlyNegativeCommentsAboutApple.com... just a community of individual consumers with varying opinions about most any subject...tied in one way or another to the common ground of something related to Apple.

If either of those sites existed in reality, imagine how boring it would be to have every thread filled with 200-500 posts all in complete agreement at either extreme. I imagine either site would last about 5 days.

 

[trusso]

The success of the iPhone X is not surprising to me, as it says that the majority of consumers purchase what they want, and not what they need. There is a lot of cool tech in the X, but I guarantee you, not one thing that you couldn't live without (if, for instance, Apple had never made it). You might even argue that it's fairly priced for the amount of tech they crammed into it, but for most people, the extra bells-and-whistles are not worth the high price when their iPhone SE, 6s, 7 or even generic flip-phone does what they need.

In other words, reports like this say less about the quality of a particular product, and more about the consumerist culture we have become.

 

[anson42]

So people buy Plus phones based on size? So if the Plus models stopped people would go to Samsung even though if they prefer iOS instead of Android?

Well, the original poster said "some" would go to Samsung and I agree. For many a smartphone is just a tool and brand/os loyalty really isn't a factor. Members of my family routinely switch between iOS and Android often and prior to the plus iPhones size was one of the reasons. Size alone isn't enough to make me switch away from iOS, but I will welcome the iPhone X Plus with open arms, having moved to the X from the 7 Plus.

 

[1050792]

Well, the original poster said "some" would go to Samsung and I agree. For many a smartphone is just a tool and brand/os loyalty really isn't a factor. Members of my family routinely switch between iOS and Android often and prior to the plus iPhones size was one of the reasons. Size alone isn't enough to make me switch away from iOS, but I will welcome the iPhone X Plus with open arms, having moved to the X from the 7 Plus.

His point was that if Apple stopped offering a Plus sized phone (because the iPhone X is clearly horrible in his mind) users would switch to Samsung which isn't true because if a user likes and has adapted to iOS won't switch so easily because of Apple only offering one phone size/model just like they did until 2014.
I subscribe what you do and say, I also switch between iOS and Android and I like both equally even though Apple is getting on my nerves lately with iOS 11 crashes and UI bugs.

 

[apolloa]

His point was that if Apple stopped offering a Plus sized phone (because the iPhone X is clearly horrible in his mind) users would switch to Samsung which isn't true because if a user likes and has adapted to iOS won't switch so easily because of Apple only offering one phone size/model just like they did until 2014.
I subscribe what you do and say, I also switch between iOS and Android and I like both equally even though Apple is getting on my nerves lately with iOS 11 crashes and UI bugs.

Hmm I’m not so sure, many on here refuse to buy the X because if it’s size not being a Plus size, so if a new iPhone user switches from Android to iOS for the first time with an X, but dislikes it’s size then they could very well go back to Samsung believing the 8 Plus to be too much of an older design in comparison.

 

[1050792]

Hmm I’m not so sure, many on here refuse to buy the X because if it’s size not being a Plus size, so if a new iPhone user switches from Android to iOS for the first time with an X, but dislikes it’s size then they could very well go back to Samsung believing the 8 Plus to be too much of an older design in comparison.

Alright but we're talking the opposite here when iPhone users stuck with a tiny screen until 2014.

 

[Macaholic868]

I am now convinced that all of the iPhone X hate and hand wringing is almost 100% due to its price. As a daily driver it’s bar none the best phone I’ve ever owned and considering it’s my primary computing device, music player, personal assistant and GPS device while I’m driving it’s well worth $250 a year for the 4 years I’m planning on keeping it. That comes to about $20.84 per month. I pay more per month for the music and video streaming services I subscribe to than I do for the phone.

 

[scrapesleon]

200 a share when September iPhones come out

 

[Abazigal]

And it's not OnlyPositiveCommentsAboutApple.com or OnlyNegativeCommentsAboutApple.com... just a community of individual consumers with varying opinions about most any subject...tied in one way or another to the common ground of something related to Apple.

Problem is when a forum is flooded by over 90% negative comments about Apple, drowning out any initial attempt at having a meaningful conversation, and it gets very frustrating, especially when you know what the criticisms just aren't valid. Off the top of my head - criticisms about how the AirPods were stupid, how the iPhone X wouldn't sell because of its price, how Apple was doomed because of X. All of them ended up being dead wrong. And it's even more amusing (and dismaying) to see people continue to double down on their own negativity despite the latest Apple earnings record proving the contrary.

I am not even convinced some of the posters here are even interested in having a balanced and meaningful debate; seems like they simply have an axe to grind with Apple (like some jilted ex-lover) and it's just mucking up the place. Right now, the criticism has died down a little, but you can be sure that they will return. And then we will have to play this game all over again, where the critics rush in to proclaim how Apple is doomed, due to reason X, watch it reach fever pitch because the haters are clearly not interested in entertaining any sort of rebuttal which does not support their worldview of Apple, and we can only wait for the next quarterly earnings report to earn a little bit of respite before the entire cycle repeats.

Apple isn't perfect, but it isn't run by idiots either. You would think that after being proven wrong time and time again, maybe it's a sign that Apple is a company that defies conventional business logic, and perhaps we ought to be trying to explain Apple's successes, not explain them away.

Is it just so hard to give credit where credit is due?

 

[franzkfk]

Calm down.

Why do you need to resort to snarky juvenile insults? That just shows you are out of gas. Are you really incapable of having a normal conversation, and instead need to ridicule to make a point?


"Do you also think that McDonalds is the best restaurant?"

If McDonalds sold millions of burgers a year for $25, I'd be inclined to think so.

You are correct I was a little bit out of gas. The thing is that his opinion and those likes just makes me sad. (of course he and his fellow mates have the right to make this statement) It shows how western society thinks and works. Mass audiences pays a lot of money for Avengers movies - articles about best movie (of course not). McDonalds sold XY millions burgers - best quality burgers (of course not) .... and so on.

There is one more thing ...

Android actually outsells iOS. Yeah .. than it has to be the best mobile operating system. ... It has to be with your logic.

THERE IS NO STABLE CORRELATION BETWEEN WALLET AND QUALITY PRODUCT.

 

[69650]

I just don’t believe the very expensive iPhone X is the worlds best selling smartphone. That crown will be held by a cheap android phone. These numbers are total BS.

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

Interesting to see though, the 8 was quite a bit more popular than the 8 plus and the 7 is still way more popular than the 7 plus. Also the X is smaller than the plus models. Are people losing interest in massive handsets?

Personally I’ve never understood the appeal of huge phones.

That’s what a tablet is for in my mind and I don’t want to be carrying one of those around everywhere I go.

Each to their own though.

 

[TonnyM]

The thing that strikes me most is how big of a grumble iPhone X was for Apple. How risky was to get rid of Touch ID, put completely new interface and cosmic price on their flagship product. They went all in for iP X, and if it weren’t best selling smartphone Apple would be doomed, for real.

 

[rom3o]

You're quoting made up numbers. Apple has never released those unit sales, so fake news from someone.

Like in this article, I’m quoting the numbers from Strategy Analytics, one for 2017 is even included in the chart above. Better read an article before commenting on it...

But I guess you could believe the numbers Apple published themselves?

2015: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/q2fy15datasum.pdf
2016: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/q2fy16datasum.pdf
2017: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/Q2FY17DataSummary.pdf
2018: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/Q2_FY18_Data_Summary.pdf

And before you insist on this year’s Q2 having slightly higher sales numbers over 2017 and 2016: Consider that 2018 was the first time Apple included eight iPhone models in their report but only five in the two years before. And even more astonishing is the fact, that there were only four (!) models available in 2015 - when Apple reported nearly 10 million unit sales more than in today.

So, what are the fake news? Sales numbers of iPhone, iPad and Mac are stagnating or declining, while revenue isn’t. Additionally Services and “Others” (incl. Watch) are increasing heavily. Overall, Apple is doing great. But that isn’t owed to great iPhone X (or 8) sales.

And your completely off with the second part of your post as well: I’m hoping everything but for Apple’s demise, I contribute to Apples success in nearly every device category. Not everyone who criticises some something is against it, some people just like to think with their own heads.

 

[mib1800]

Personally I’ve never understood the appeal of huge phones.

That’s what a tablet is for in my mind and I don’t want to be carrying one of those around everywhere I go.

Each to their own though.

It is just too heavy to carry a tablet around or not practical using it on the go. Phablet is still the best. All in one device.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

I just don’t believe the very expensive iPhone X is the worlds best selling smartphone. That crown will be held by a cheap android phone. These numbers are total BS.

Why do you entertain this particular faith? For you to be correct, it would mean a fairly massive securities fraud is at work. Not only would Apple's executives be lying, but also all the presumably independent market research companies that report on industry sales. Now, maybe you'll turn out to be right, but to be proven right, someone will have to come up with real evidence, not just gut feelings.

It's true that cheap Android phones dominate the world market. You simply will not find a single model, from a single maker that's going to knock iPhone off its perch. Since the statistic we're discussing is best-selling model, rather than best-selling OS or most popular price point, Apple is in a very good position to win - it sells the same, few models world-wide, in price categories that attract few competitors. And they're really, really good at marketing. You don't have to be offended by it, you can dismiss it as a statistical anomaly and walk away. Feel free to own a cheap Android phone and bask in the knowledge that much of the world agrees that some cheap Android phone or other is their best choice. Just don't hope that they'll all be carrying the same model.

Apple's goal is to be the most profitable PC-maker and smartphone maker, and by every measure, they are. Not only do they sell highly profitable models, but they sell fairly large numbers of them. That combination is hard to beat.

 

[NetMage]

And before you insist on this year’s Q2 having slightly higher sales numbers over 2017 and 2016: Consider that 2018 was the first time Apple included eight iPhone models in their report but only five in the two years before. And even more astonishing is the fact, that there were only four (!) models available in 2015 - when Apple reported nearly 10 million unit sales more than in today.

The iPhone 6 started the super cycle where Apple released larger phones and gained a huge migration back from Android in 2014 (e.g. Q2 2015 was the 6).

Two years later and the natural upgrade cycle had a lot of existing IPhone 6 users buying the iPhone 7.

It’s no surprise the 8/X line-up can’t match that, but this fall will be four years from the 6 and the super upgrade cycle should hit again.
[doublepost=1525501300][/doublepost]

Interesting to see though, the 8 was quite a bit more popular than the 8 plus and the 7 is still way more popular than the 7 plus. Also the X is smaller than the plus models. Are people losing interest in massive handsets?

On the financial results call, Tim said the X was the first time the high end model was the best seller since the split line-up premiered with the 6, so the Plus models have never outsold the regular ones.

 

[Bone Ranger]

The next iPhoneX Plus will be setting new sales records no doubt.

 

[Cloudkicker]

That's an excellent question. Please ask Samsung and Xiaomi and report back.

Sure. Market share in China: 24% for Huawei

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphj...n-china-as-other-brands-decline/#4a2320fd4c1f

 

[nexusrule]

Excuses....

"Excuses" doesn't really disprove his point, that is, with hundreds of millions of users a lot more bugs will be discovered in a software if 5-10 millions of people use it. "I don't know how to reply to that" would be a more sincere answer.
[doublepost=1525515124][/doublepost]What's really sad for me it's how many people, and not only in this forum, but the internet in general, nowadays seem content spending their time obsessively criticizing things they don't like, often without even having nothing interesting or original to say, instead of doing something constructive and/or meaningful with their time/life.

 

[a0me]

Sure it does. People vote with their wallets after carefully considering the value proposition and looking at other alternatives. Especially for a premium-priced device.

The original poster has a point though, bestselling doesn't necessarily mean best product. Android outsells iOS five to one, after all.
And even taking into account the price range, claiming something is the best without any qualification whatsoever doesn't mean much.

 

[Abazigal]

The original poster has a point though, bestselling doesn't necessarily mean best product. Android outsells iOS five to one, after all.
And even taking into account the price range, claiming something is the best without any qualification whatsoever doesn't mean much.

Basically everyone has their own definitions of what "best" entails, and we are all never going to agree.

I am content with accepting that the people who bought an iPhone X know what they were doing and that they see value in it. Those may not be factors that you agree with, but that's more your problem than theirs, because they are the ones paying for it at the end of the day, and so it is their decision which ought to be respected, not criticised or dismissed.

Just like the other 80% of users didn't buy iPhones for their own reasons, and I am totally cool with that.

But at the end of the day, what people cannot deny is that the iPhone X still sold a metric crapton, making Apple a whole lot of profit, and I don't see why that is so hard to acknowledge.

 

[chatin]

Sales missed Wall Street expectations. That is a trend that will continue if Apple doesn't clean up the quality problems.

 

[The Game 161]

Sales missed Wall Street expectations. That is a trend that will continue if Apple doesn't clean up the quality problems.

no it missed exceptions as those exceptions are simply not realistic.

Has nothing to do with quality