Kuo: iPhone 14 Plus Pre-Orders Worse Than iPhone 13 Mini, Product Strategy 'Fails'

[lovehateapple]

Why do you think that has just been triggered now versus last year or the year before?
The whole "smartphones are mature" argument has been around since iPhone 5.

I really want to answer your question, but a couple of my recent posts in another thread on this site explaining the current economic situation were flagged and deleted (censored) by the moderator for being political. Since I don't want to risk getting banned from MR I can't respond directly. If you want more information I recommend watching End of the Road: how money became worthless and Mike Maloney's Hidden Secrets of Money on youtube.

 

[calstanford]

13 to the 14 is basically the same phone. Glad it’s failing.

The larger Apple is getting the tinier the product upgrades are becoming. Not just hardware (iPhone 13->14) but geez look at ios16. There is NOTHING new in there besides some widget on the lock screen. That's all after a whole year.

 

[Nick05]

The mini shouldnt have been made as the “cheapest new iphone” with the 12 and 13. The niche market are mostly people who want the small iphone with the three best camera’s.. not the people who think give me the smallest because its the cheapest.

This is why I bought a 12 pro over the 12 mini. I wanted a smaller phone not a cheaper one. The cameras overall aren’t of great importance to me as I have nice dedicated cameras for when photos matter, but when I do use the phone camera, probably 50% of the photos are with the 2x camera so not having it was an issue. I picked up a 13 mini earlier this year because of the rumors it would be discontinued. If it had all the features of the pro, I’d make it my primary phone. For now, I’d like to switch back and forth, but there isn’t even a good way to do that with an Apple Watch as it wants to pair to a single phone. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Pamela5]

13 to the 14 is basically the same phone. Glad it’s failing.

Iphone 13/14 is perfect for the "it's the same picture" meme.

 

[Pamela5]

Iphones have been stale since steve jobs died, the only somewhat innovative phone since his death is the iphone 14 pro but let's be honest that size notch was last seen on the s10 plus years ago but I suppose it's a big improvement for iphone after all these years. Also, EU basically forced apple to finally switch to usbc, thank goodness for the EU.

 

[Looney01]

Only reason I’m buying the iPhone 14 Pro is because I’m upgrading from the 11 Pro Max.

 

[kerr]

Screw Apple and their push to get everyone to buy a Pro Max iPhone rather than a smaller or non-Pro device.

 

[infinitejest]

The headline is pure PR nonsense. People are not buying the phones, because Apple got too greedy and finally pushed the prices too high.

Here in Norway, we've seen multiple price hikes over the last 10 years or so. Apple products went from being fairly reasonably priced and accessible, to becoming overly expensive. I've basically stopped upgrading my Apple stuff, to get the latest and best performance, and now keep my Apple products as long as I can.

Apple obviously thinks that people will still buy their stuff, even when overpriced - WRONG.

For every price hike the excuse is the same "weak currencies in Europe" or "strong US dollar". However, every time the currencies balance out, Apple never lowers the price again. Instead, they keep increasing the prices again and again.

I'm so close to being done with Apple at this point.

I also went from being the biggest Apple fan boy to barely upgrading anymore. I already mentioned it in another thread earlier today - phones get less and less new features that one truly needs, yet the prices keep going up and up. Honestly, most of the new features of recent years are just gimmicks so that they have a reason to sell you a new phone every year. It's ridiculous. I still have an X and it can do everything I need. I'd basically spend $1000+ for a better camera, because I don't care about the rest. And I'm obviously not doing that. I'll wait and see what the next SE will be. If it gets the XR design and a decent battery life, I'll get that one. I'm done chasing the newest and shiniest phones only to do the same 12 months later.

 

[madebybela]

apologize to mini owners now

 

[I7guy]

I also went from being the biggest Apple fan boy to barely upgrading anymore. I already mentioned it in another thread earlier today - phones get less and less new features that one truly needs,

The phones get less and less new features that you need.

yet the prices keep going up and up.

The iPhone 1 debuted at $599 the iPhone 14 debuted at $799. $200 over 15 years is not “going up and up and up.”

Honestly, most of the new features of recent years are just gimmicks so that they have a reason to sell you a new phone every year.

In your opinion. However your opinion is what matters.

It's ridiculous. I still have an X and it can do everything I need. I'd basically spend $1000+ for a better camera, because I don't care about the rest. And I'm obviously not doing that. I'll wait and see what the next SE will be. If it gets the XR design and a decent battery life, I'll get that one. I'm done chasing the newest and shiniest phones only to do the same 12 months later.

Cool. Do what’s best for you.

 

[Xano]

Today the price of each dollar is almost the same as each euro.

1$ = 1€

 

[imdog]

Death to big phones
Should offer 3 sizes
Mini: 4”
Regular: 4.8”
Max: 5.4”

 

[UK-MacAddict]

Apple keeps failing with these project. Most people who wanted a mini iPhone would want it with the pro camera’s.. that why that model failed in sales.. and most people who would of liked a cheaper new plus model dont like to be having to buy a year old processor all of the sudden.

I’ve been saying this for years. Too many models with features spread all over the shop.

Like you said people who buy the mini or the Plus want those phones but with all the Pro features.

I get Apple are trying to cater for everyone but the overinflated prices don’t help either. £160 increase this year in the UK during a cost of living crisis is absurd.

Just make the Pro and Pro Max the only iPhones but reduce the prices on them to more reasonable levels.

 

[rubaxter]

Apple makes the same phone 2 years in a row and they wonder why nobody wants it if they make it a little bigger?

Hyperbole like 'nobody' really undercuts your point.

People who want a large, but less expensive iPhone to replace their 4 year old iPhone have the iPhone 14 Max as the perfect choice with no iPhone 13 Max available.

Lower sales don't mean failure, they just mean failure to meet someone projections.f

They may also make a good carrier 'special deal' phone, too.

If you DON'T build it, they CAN never come.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Hyperbole like 'nobody' really undercuts your point.

People who want a large, but less expensive iPhone to replace their 4 year old iPhone have the iPhone 14 Max as the perfect choice with no iPhone 13 Max available.

Lower sales don't mean failure, they just mean failure to meet someone projections.f

They may also make a good carrier 'special deal' phone, too.

If you DON'T build it, they CAN never come.

Hyperbole like ‘nobody’ gets me 100+ positive reactions and 2 negative.

 

[Sf844]

When prices jumped back with the X I went from upgrading yearly to 3 years and to a used Pro. Now it will be 4 years at the very least with these new prices in Europe.

Not that it worries me, just my 2 cents. I just won’t spend more than €799 on a phone, no matter what.

 

[I7guy]

The larger Apple is getting the tinier the product upgrades are becoming. Not just hardware (iPhone 13->14) but geez look at ios16. There is NOTHING new in there besides some widget on the lock screen. That's all after a whole year.

One persons meh upgrade is another persons fantastic upgrade.

Screw Apple and their push to get everyone to buy a Pro Max iPhone rather than a smaller or non-Pro device.

Correct. Get what you want and I’ll get what I want. Apple isn’t pushing anybody. Those who don’t believe the iPhone 14 has the features to price ratio, don’t buy it.

 

[webkit]

The iPhone 1 debuted at $599 the iPhone 14 debuted at $799. $200 over 15 years is not “going up and up and up.”

The original iPhone actually debuted starting at $499 (4GB). $599 was for the 8GB. But both of these prices were with 2 year AT&T contracts. Without the contract requirement, prices would've been even higher... perhaps $649 (4GB) and $749 (8GB). Adjust for inflation, and today's 128GB iPhone 14 looks pretty good at $829.

Of course, to be fair, the original iPhone prices were quickly reduced $200 in less than three months and reduced even more the next year when the 3G model came out.

 

[Sf844]

The original iPhone actually debuted starting at $499 (4GB). $599 was for the 8GB. But both of these prices were with 2 year AT&T contracts. Without the contract requirement, prices would've been even higher... perhaps $649 (4GB) and $749 (8GB). Adjust for inflation, and today's 128GB iPhone 14 looks pretty good at $829.

Of course, to be fair, the original iPhone prices were quickly reduced $200 in less than three months and reduced even more the next year when the 3G model came out.

Adjust for economies of scale and negotiating power.

Apple’s margins and earnings have been growing, not shrinking.

 

[I7guy]

Adjust for economies of scale and negotiating power.

Apple’s margins and earnings have been growing, not shrinking.

Apples business has been growing along with the mix of what goes into revenue. I do not believe the gross margin has drastically moved for years.

 

[webkit]

Adjust for economies of scale and negotiating power.

Apple’s margins and earnings have been growing, not shrinking.

In recent years (due to expanding the lineup at the upper end) but I believe overall iPhone margins were still higher 10+ years ago than they are today. Earnings have been growing thanks to higher volume.

 

[AgentAnonymous]

It’s about attempting to make use of what would otherwise be wasted space. I’m sure if it were possible to implement the FaceID hardware under the screen Apple would prefer to do that and have a truly full-screen device. Since they can’t, dynamic island is a way to maximize the screen real estate they’ve got. The core of the dynamic island is static. Physically the only thing separating the dynamic island from the notch is a sliver of screen between the island and the bezel. If Apple wanted to they could’ve readily implemented a “dynamic peninsula” for phones with a notch. Of course Apple wouldn’t want to do that because there would be one less selling point for the 14 Pros.

And yes, we can all read Apple’s ad copy about how it’s a blend of hardware and software and other magic.

If you think dynamic island is about screen real estate you have no idea what you're talking about.

The idea of dynamic island is about blending hardware with software. The notch is not usable, wasted space where as the dynamic island becomes part of the user experience.

 

[AgentAnonymous]

Uh, you do realize that the 14 and 14 plus don't have the dynamic island and have the same notch as the 13 right? This thread is about the sales of the 14 and 14 plus and doesn't have anything to do with the 14 Pro. My point was that someone could buy the 13 Pro Max over the 14 plus and be getting essentially the same phone.

No one cares about the 14 and 14 Plus. Apple only makes them to boost the sales of the pro-variants (the real iPhones). The "non-pro" models, like the XR, are for children and teens.

Before X they only offered "pro" iPhones (though without the suffix). All they did is change the branding and introduce lower tiers.

 

[AgentAnonymous]

The DI is a PITA, is the same gimmick solution of notch to hide a hole in the screen. What you write about notch today you’ll write about DI when finally also it died.
Meanwhile with DI EVERY NEW PRODUCT WITH NOTCH BECAME OBSOLETE (Mac, do you remember?).
Go straight on, ever entusiastic fan of a CDA that more concentrated on financial field than production one!

Sorry, but your iPhone 12/13 Pro is hopelessly outdated. Not only is the notch ugly but it's also wasted space.

 

[smoking monkey]

Isn't there a one month delay on the 14 Plus? If so, there is the very real and simple answer to why orders aren't great for it. Early orders are for people excited to get the kit asap. Once it becomes available expect to see good sales for it. Especially in foreign markets.