Kuo: Apple Watch Series 4 Pre-Orders Above Expectations, iPhone XS Seeing Lackluster Demand

[Labyrintho]

Now the X is a big jump up, but that's hugely reflected in the price. ... Now phones even in moderately expensive price ranges (like $500-$600) are just old models. The price creep and then jump, over the years has really been astounding.

Couldn't agree more.

Maybe I under-appreciated the aesthetic improvement in the iPhone X display, losing the top and bottom thick bezels, and gaining OLED (though that has some trade-offs). But what a price jump for a delightful but largely cosmetic improvement!

The iPhone XR seems to me much more reasonable, but I'm annoyed that it appears to be a bit dumbed down, having less memory (less multitasking) and maybe a lower clock speed.

For my needs it would have been perfect had it offered the full main course (full speed A12, 4GB--if only!) minus the dessert (OLED, even thinner bezels, two back cameras, etc.--no problem there for me).

 

[jonblatho]

If this isn’t too personal, do you have a heart condition that requires regular monitoring? I’m mildly impressed by the ECG function, but question its overall utility. For healthy people, what’s the point?

A good few people believe that they're healthy until they're informed—one way or another—that they're anything but.

 

[AdonisSMU]

Yes but unfortunately its way too big. I own an iPhone 7 and dont like those huge phones like the Xr. What should I do? And the Xs is too expensive, I wont buy that for 1150€.

XS is basically the same size as the 7

 

[smulji]

The switch from nonbiometric passwords to the biometric touch ID (fingerprint scanning that really worked) is pretty clearly, I think, a much more dramatic breakthrough than the switch from one biometric method to another, in some ways better one. And sure the XS Max is twice as fast is the 6S plus, 3 times in graphics -- but that took three generations.

So we have real steps forward, but (in comparison to earlier steps) small steps forward.

Hopefully they come up with much more material uses for the Neural Engine ASAP. Hopefully it will be a big, practical deal down the road, and not just bokeh.

"Hopefully they come up with much more material uses for the Neural Engine ASAP. Hopefully it will be a big, practical deal down the road, and not just bokeh."

That's up to app developers. At least now they have the platform to allow them the capability.

 

[Baymowe335]

affordable vs not affordable. no duh on the results.

Any of you guys ever look at the REAL results (earnings reports) and not these nonsense GUESSES from analysts?

Apple is successful every single quarter, lol.

Also, Kuo even said the watch and Max Plus are doing well. That was also predictable given the X has been out a year and the Xs is the only “non-new” phone.

 

[ckhris1613]

I hope Apple doesn’t think we want even bigger phones because the XS is going to fail. It really comes down to it being nothing new over the regular x.

You must be new to Apple, the S models are never mindblowing, just faster.

 

[Lloydbm41]

The Xs has 3D Touch. The Xr does not.

That isn’t what I said.

 

[Baymowe335]

I’m not so sure that was the strategy. The rumor mill says that they are having issues with the display of the Xr. So it’s likely they intended to release all three together.

The rumor mill is so often wrong with this stuff, I don’t believe anything anyone says except the earnings reports now.

I could see them wanting all 3 at the same time, but I could also see them doing what they did in purpose.

 

[smulji]

Where is your data showing Xs Max is showing lackluster performance?

Pre-release sales don't mean much anymore. We won't really know the performance of initial demand until January 2019 when Apple release their 2019 Q1 FY2019 Financials

 

[Baymowe335]

That isn’t what I said.

The problem with the debut of the iPhone XS, is that unlike previous S releases, there was nothing significantly new over the X to drive demand. No 3D Touch, no Siri, no new form factor, no new camera,

How does that not sound like you’re talking about the Xs having no 3D Touch? If you weren’t, work on your communication.
[doublepost=1537130956][/doublepost]

Yep, my bad but "The even more expensive XS Max has good demand." is not a good sign.

Why is that not a good sign?

This dude is guessing anyway.

Like I said, look at the earnings reports. Apple hasn’t had a “bad sign” in about 2 years.

 

[PickUrPoison]

I've always been able to tell the difference going from my iPhone 6s Plus to my older 5s or someone else's 6, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Apple saw the need to increase the pixel density on the 2014 iPhone 6 Plus for a reason, wouldn't you think?

As for what is sufficient, even a 163 PPI non-Retina display would be, but I wouldn't buy a smartphone with 163 PPI to use in 2018 either.

Apple increased pixel density on the highest priced model in 2014 and even more with the even higher priced X in 2018. Like always, the least expensive model is 326ppi. You’ll have to search very hard to find complaints about the pixel density of Apple’s 326ppi displays. Or their 264ppi displays, for that matter. Its like complaining about 20 hrs vs. 24 hrs of talk time. It’s just not a big deal.

Like I said before, Apple customers aren’t spec chasers. You’re fixated on a spec that isn’t important to most. It’s an excellent display as always, but for those who don’t find 326ppi sufficient, they shouldn’t buy it.

 

[Baymowe335]

Pre-release sales don't mean much anymore. We won't really know the performance of initial demand until January 2019 when Apple release their 2019 Q1 FY2019 Financials

I’m trying to get people to stop reading anything into this nonsense and look at the earnings.

 

[robbyx]

A good few people believe that they're healthy until they're informed—one way or another—that they're anything but.

And this sort of ridiculous, fear-based, worst case scenario thinking is exactly what Apple is counting on to sell the Watch.

If you’re worried, it’s cheaper to go to your doctor and have him or her run a REAL ECG than it is to buy a Watch. You don’t need to take daily ECGs. Like I said before, unless you have a medical condition that requires regular monitoring, the ECG functionality is a gimmick. It’s also an incomplete picture of your heart’s health and I worry that people will wrongly equate the Watch’s very limited functionality with a proper ECG.

But kudos to Apple for finding a new way to sell the Watch (fear!) to young and old alike!

 

[1050792]

The problem with the debut of the iPhone XS, is that unlike previous S releases, there was nothing significantly new over the X to drive demand. No 3D Touch, no Siri, no new form factor, no new camera,

How does that not sound like you’re talking about the Xs having no 3D Touch? If you weren’t, work on your communication.
[doublepost=1537130956][/doublepost]
Why is that not a good sign?

This dude is guessing anyway.

Like I said, look at the earnings reports. Apple hasn’t had a “bad sign” in about 2 years.

Because if the prices keep going this way and people keep buying them, we're gonna get to a point where the prices will be unbelievably high.

 

[gadgetmonster]

I tend to agree, i did not upgrade from the x this year but i did upgrade my watch. I didn't get up early enough so i'm on the 10/19 delivery for a new watch. Hopefully, it comes early.........*fingers crossed*

 

[smulji]

Because if the prices keep going this way and people keep buying them, we're gonna get to a point where the prices will be unbelievably high.

I doubt that will happen. Believe it or not, there is a ceiling

 

[AppleFan91]

I went from the X to the XS. I love everything about the X and the XS is the same price on iUP. So it just made sense. That being said, if I weren’t then I wouldn’t upgrade. The XS Max doesn’t do it for me personally, too big and doesn’t offer any new features compared to the XS. Same camera, same display PPI, same RAM and processor. All it gives is a huge screen and hr more of battery life.

 

[DeepIn2U]

It's not a bad phone. It's a good phone being sold at a bad price.

Completely agree. Though I feel it shouldn’t have been made at the 6.1” size, just not right to confuse the size lineup for 2018.

Anecdotally, I don't know anyone who has an X (of about 20 people) that is upgrading.

Anyone on here with an X upgrading? To the Xs or to the Xs Max?

Honestly, other than the new portrait feature and faster GPU/CPU cores (higher count on each) doesn’t make sense. Faster FaceID due to enclave being better.

I feel Apple is purposely delaying camera features for every iPhone revision that is software based and determined available by hardware revision, such as he new portrait feature in the XS, which easily can be done in the X. That’s their choice but to which extent will it continue and affect pppls upgrade choices? I should be used to this by now since the 4/4S.

Will I upgrade? Most likely but in a few months. The Nike+ S4 is a higher priority for me. iOS Shortcuts will hold me over until I do upgrade.

 

[blairh]

Exactly as I thought post-keynote. XR will eat into XS sales. Max sells due to size. XR is the main iPhone now. XS and Max are the luxury line.

 

[sir1963nz]

New iPhones... Too Big, Too expensive..... Too bad.
And then they STILL nickel and Dime you for the Lightening to headphone adaptor .

When my SE dies, I am more likely to get an Android phone, a first for me but times change.

 

[xraydoc]

Personally, I hope the XS/XS Max sells poorly as a rebuke of Apple's pricing.

 

[littyboy]

Yeah stick to supply chain leaks Kuo. As an “analyst” he just makes it up, educated guesses sure but no inside knowledge. There’s no way he could possibly know actual demand, just like he didn’t know prices or names.

He was wrong about supply for X last year. Said it was going to be very low. Dude just throws stuff on the wall and hopes it sticks. MR just rides his nuts too much.

 

[FourDegrees]

No surprises. I have the X and don't see a reason to upgrade. More likely to upgrade my series 3 to 4 though.

I've done just that. No compelling reason to move from the iPhone X. But plenty of reason to move my wife from AW0 to AW4 and me from AW3 to AW4.

 

[1050792]

I went from the X to the XS. I love everything about the X and the XS is the same price on iUP. So it just made sense. That being said, if I weren’t then I wouldn’t upgrade. The XS Max doesn’t do it for me personally, too big and doesn’t offer any new features compared to the XS. Same camera, same display PPI, same RAM and processor. All it gives is a huge screen and hr more of battery life.

Better battery life is always welcome though.

 

[TheAppleFairy]

This makes me sad.

Me too, I am on a tight allowance...and I make pretty good money that I can't touch.