Survey Explores Why iPhone Owners Haven't Upgraded to iPhone X

[LFCfanatic]

iPhone users who haven't upgraded to the iPhone X were recently queried on why they've held out on purchasing a new phone, with the majority citing reasons like high price and a lack of compelling features.

A survey conducted by Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Olson and shared by Philip Elmer-DeWitt this morning asked 1,500 people who own an iPhone but didn't upgrade to the iPhone X to explain their reasoning.

44 percent of respondents said they hadn't upgraded because their iPhone works fine, suggesting there were no standout features compelling them to purchase a new device, while 31 percent said the iPhone X was too expensive at a starting price of $999.

Eight percent of respondents said the iPhone X's screen isn't large enough, while 17 percent had another reason entirely.

Piper Jaffray believes the iPhones coming in 2018 will address most of these issues, with Apple rumored to be planning to introduce three devices. One will be a followup to the iPhone X with a 5.8-inch OLED display, a second will have a larger 6.5-inch OLED display, and a third will feature a 6.1-inch LCD display with a lower price tag.

All upcoming 2018 iPhones are rumored to feature an edge-to-edge display with no bezels and a TrueDepth camera system for Face ID, along with other improvements like a faster A12 processor.

Piper Jaffray believes Apple will sell 233.8M iPhones in fiscal 2019, with the 2018 iPhones set to drive ongoing upgrades well into next year.

Article Link: Survey Explores Why iPhone Owners Haven't Upgraded to iPhone X

Because Apple was idiotic enough to remove the headphone jack and have an ugly design for the iPhone X.

 

[WatchFromAfar]

I upgrade every year and have since the original iPhone. I don't expect that pattern to change.

Well that's your prerogative but it still smacks of the newest thing is so much better it makes what I have now look unacceptable. If that's your point of view surely you're never happy with any product as a new must-have is always around the corner.

 

[gnasher729]

Sample is fine. I have seen much worse. But you can easily change iPhone X with iPhone 8 Plus and get similar results. Price and feature sets are too common of road blocks from upgrading. My response to this survey: well duh!!

Yeah, that survey is just rubbish.

Most iPhone users didn't buy an iPhone X. But at the same time, most didn't buy an 8+, most didn't buy an 8, most didn't buy a 7+, most didn't buy a 7, and so on and so on. They all have small percentages of the total sale, and if you add them they add up to 100%.

And answers like "too expensive" are just stupid. Good answers would be "Costs more than I personally want to pay for a phone" would be good. "Not good value compared to the phone I bought" would be good. "Too expensive" is just simplistic and has zero information.

 

[dk001]

Yeah, that survey is just rubbish.

Most iPhone users didn't buy an iPhone X. But at the same time, most didn't buy an 8+, most didn't buy an 8, most didn't buy a 7+, most didn't buy a 7, and so on and so on. They all have small percentages of the total sale, and if you add them they add up to 100%.

And answers like "too expensive" are just stupid. Good answers would be "Costs more than I personally want to pay for a phone" would be good. "Not good value compared to the phone I bought" would be good. "Too expensive" is just simplistic and has zero information.

Not stupid. For most in that category, “too expensive” = “costs more than I want to pay for a phone”.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Yeah, that survey is just rubbish.

Most iPhone users didn't buy an iPhone X. But at the same time, most didn't buy an 8+, most didn't buy an 8, most didn't buy a 7+, most didn't buy a 7, and so on and so on. They all have small percentages of the total sale, and if you add them they add up to 100%.

And answers like "too expensive" are just stupid. Good answers would be "Costs more than I personally want to pay for a phone" would be good. "Not good value compared to the phone I bought" would be good. "Too expensive" is just simplistic and has zero information.

I think it’s entirely reasonable for somebody to say it’s ‘too expensive’. It doesn’t mean everybody will think it’s too expensive but it is the correct terminology if somebody feels it is. I think it’s too expensive and have t bought it.

I think there’s enough choice now in the iPhone range where people are aware they don’t need to spend £1k on an iPhone that essentially does the same thing as an iPhone costing £300-400 less. The days of having the ‘new iPhone’ are over and we are now in an era where people may have ‘one of the new iPhones’. The range is more watered down hence why the whole buzz around new releases is more muted than it used to be.

 

[eoblaed]

Well that's your prerogative but it still smacks of the newest thing is so much better it makes what I have now look unacceptable. If that's your point of view surely you're never happy with any product as a new must-have is always around the corner.

I love my devices. I am in awe of them almost everyday ... that we're able to carry with us a supercomputer that enables a dizzying array of fantastic functionality, allows me to communicate with virtually anyone on the face of the planet instantly (in any number of ways), lets me take photos of unprecedented quality ... all from a device I can fit in my pocket. It's sexy, it helps me keep my life in order, offers tremendous convenience, and gives me options to do things that even just a few years ago would've seemed like science fiction.

So, when a new one comes out, I am eager to grab that one as well, to keep my device at the cutting edge, and to put me in a place where I can enjoy the best technology can offer for another year.

 

[chagla]

switched to Android.

 

[serpico007]

Moved to the SE 128 and remembered how functional this phone size was. Headphone jack is such a good thing to have too when you have a collection of wired headphones.

 

[I7guy]

Not stupid. For most in that category, “too expensive” = “costs more than I want to pay for a phone”.

I’ve bought items that were “too expensive “, but haven’t bought items where “costs more than I want to pay”.

I want Face ID and 3dt with lcd.

 

[Naimfan]

The 6S still seems to be the best of a collection that emphasizes flashy features over everyday usability.

 

[code-m]

iPhone X's start at $1800 here. No one has that kind of money to blow on a phone.

I'm waiting on a new SE anyway.

Even if I do, I still prefer the SE size. Upgrade the SE with the iPhone 8 internals, TouchID 2nd Gen and it will sell. No requirement for AMOLED, upgrade it to micro led when ready. The SE is a classic, it should live on like the iMac line.

 

[iamhenrik]

iPhone users who haven't upgraded to the iPhone X were recently queried on why they've held out on purchasing a new phone, with the majority citing reasons like high price and a lack of compelling features.

A survey conducted by Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Olson and shared by Philip Elmer-DeWitt this morning asked 1,500 people who own an iPhone but didn't upgrade to the iPhone X to explain their reasoning.

44 percent of respondents said they hadn't upgraded because their iPhone works fine, suggesting there were no standout features compelling them to purchase a new device, while 31 percent said the iPhone X was too expensive at a starting price of $999.

Eight percent of respondents said the iPhone X's screen isn't large enough, while 17 percent had another reason entirely.

Piper Jaffray believes the iPhones coming in 2018 will address most of these issues, with Apple rumored to be planning to introduce three devices. One will be a followup to the iPhone X with a 5.8-inch OLED display, a second will have a larger 6.5-inch OLED display, and a third will feature a 6.1-inch LCD display with a lower price tag.

All upcoming 2018 iPhones are rumored to feature an edge-to-edge display with no bezels and a TrueDepth camera system for Face ID, along with other improvements like a faster A12 processor.

Piper Jaffray believes Apple will sell 233.8M iPhones in fiscal 2019, with the 2018 iPhones set to drive ongoing upgrades well into next year.

Article Link: Survey Explores Why iPhone Owners Haven't Upgraded to iPhone X

[doublepost=1521803493][/doublepost]iPhone X is good phone, I have no problem paying the higher initial cost for the device itself, but

- iPhone X is thicker than my iPhone 6S
- I know for sure that I will crack the screen (have done so with every model i've owned) and don't want to pay $279 to replace it.

 

[jsf721]

Need Apple battery case for whatever I buy. If the X had one I’d be in one already.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I think it simply comes down to the craze for having the latest and greatest smartphone having died out in a lot of countries. Smartphones are so capable these days and all iPhones essentially do the same thing.

As a general consumer comparing models for an upgrade you’re going to see one glaring difference between the 8 and the X and that’s the price. Beyond that they do the same thing apart from a few slight differences and many will ask if these differences are worth the extra cost? For me and many who I’ve asked it’s not and that’s a common consensus manufacturers are going to struggle against as the smartphone market becomes more mature and saturated with choice.

 

[dk001]

I think it simply comes down to the craze for having the latest and greatest smartphone having died out in a lot of countries. Smartphones are so capable these days and all iPhones essentially do the same thing.

As a general consumer comparing models for an upgrade you’re going to see one glaring difference between the 8 and the X and that’s the price. Beyond that they do the same thing apart from a few slight differences and many will ask if these differences are worth the extra cost? For me and many who I’ve asked it’s not and that’s a common consensus manufacturers are going to struggle against as the smartphone market becomes more mature and saturated with choice.

One aspect I would add; what the X is and what we originally hoped it would be is very different. I remember when I finally found out what the X was, I was like “That’s it?”. Add in the notch, FaceID and initial buyers concern. I can see this affecting sales.

 

[code-m]

One aspect I would add; what the X is and what we originally hoped it would be is very different. I remember when I finally found out what the X was, I was like “That’s it?”. Add in the notch, FaceID and initial buyers concern. I can see this affecting sales.

Apple introduced the iPhone X as a transitional product for the future, this is evident with iOS UI/UX oddities. The price increase is to differentiate it from the regular line, think iMac and iMac Pro. It would seem strange to call it the iPhone, iPhone Plus and iPhone Pro line. What can you do on an iPhone Pro that you cannot do on the regular line, with a few minor differences if required. At present the limiting factor is iOS, and the screen size. One can only do so much on a mobile screen, plus many users do not even require the power of the A11 Bionic, let alone the A10 Fusion chips. I predict that the iPhone X/Pro will have a hybrid iOS phone/tablet capabilities, pencil support and ProMotion this year. The processor in an iPhone/iPad will be an A12 and in the iPhone Pro/iPad Pro it will have an A12X chip, if the iPhone Pro has some sort of desktop mode synced by an AppleTV, this could be a computer with a lot of flexibility in your pocket and the price could be justified. At present the price is not substantiated.

 

[Kram Sacul]

Because Apple was idiotic enough to remove the headphone jack and have an ugly design for the iPhone X.

Good one.

 

[dk001]

Apple introduced the iPhone X as a transitional product for the future, this is evident with iOS UI/UX oddities. The price increase is to differentiate it from the regular line, think iMac and iMac Pro. It would seem strange to call it the iPhone, iPhone Plus and iPhone Pro line. What can you do on an iPhone Pro that you cannot do on the regular line, with a few minor differences if required. At present the limiting factor is iOS, and the screen size. One can only do so much on a mobile screen, plus many users do not even require the power of the A11 Bionic, let alone the A10 Fusion chips. I predict that the iPhone X/Pro will have a hybrid iOS phone/tablet capabilities, pencil support and ProMotion this year. The processor in an iPhone/iPad will be an A12 and in the iPhone Pro/iPad Pro it will have an A12X chip, if the iPhone Pro has some sort of desktop mode synced by an AppleTV, this could be a computer with a lot of flexibility in your pocket and the price could be justified. At present the price is not substantiated.

That's nice however I still had a case of "That's it" when I checked it out in an Apple Store. Like minimal to no wow-factor.

 

[code-m]

That's nice however I still had a case of "That's it" when I checked it out in an Apple Store. Like minimal to no wow-factor.

Though not really a “wow” factor, people who use mobile phone devices were looking for something new, a change from the four year old design that was the iPhone 6/6s/7/8. That is one of the reasons the iPhone X sold. If the iPhone 8 and iPhone X had all the same features, i.e. AMOLED, FaceID, Animoji, etc and the only differentiation was the near full screen to the oversized bezels on the top and bottom (even if TouchID) was removed, the iPhone X would still sell, as it has always been a status symbol for many and around the world, a fashion statement regardless of cost (hence Apple can get away with the price increase).

If Apple introduced a redesigned iPhone with the internals of the 7 and exterior of the X it would sell better compared to an iPhone 8 with the internals of the X. The computing power of an iPhone 6s is what most users will ever require, even today. Most apps do not even utilize the A10 Fusion let alone the A11 Bionic power. A better battery and an exterior redesign was all that was required to satisfy the masses. If you believe most people are not shallow to brag about they status, wealth and power with a mobile phone device, you do not go out much.

iPhone X exterior with iPhone 7 internal hardware, or
iPhone 8 exterior with iPhone X internal hardware.

 

[dk001]

Though not really a “wow” factor, people who use mobile phone devices were looking for something new, a change from the four year old design that was the iPhone 6/6s/7/8. That is one of the reasons the iPhone X sold. If the iPhone 8 and iPhone X had all the same features, i.e. AMOLED, FaceID, Animoji, etc and the only differentiation was the near full screen to the oversized bezels on the top and bottom (even if TouchID) was removed, the iPhone X would still sell, as it has always been a status symbol for many and around the world, a fashion statement regardless of cost (hence Apple can get away with the price increase).

If Apple introduced a redesigned iPhone with the internals of the 7 and exterior of the X it would sell better compared to an iPhone 8 with the internals of the X. The computing power of an iPhone 6s is what most users will ever require, even today. Most apps do not even utilize the A10 Fusion let alone the A11 Bionic power. A better battery and an exterior redesign was all that was required to satisfy the masses. If you believe most people are not shallow to brag about they status, wealth and power with a mobile phone device, you do not go out much.

iPhone X exterior with iPhone 7 internal hardware, or
iPhone 8 exterior with iPhone X internal hardware.

Seriously?
More and more their phone is becoming just another phone. The "OMG Gotta Have It!!!" has been dying for a couple of years now... Phone as a status symbol has been declining.
I expected much more from the X. Garnering that many more were also.

 

[code-m]

Seriously?
More and more their phone is becoming just another phone. The "OMG Gotta Have It!!!" has been dying for a couple of years now... Phone as a status symbol has been declining.
I expected much more from the X. Garnering that many more were also.

Multiple factors contribute to declining sales of mobile phones i.e. minimum wages, unemployment, cost of living, attitudes towards technology being intrusive, features/functions being removed, increased cost of ownership, etc.

As mentioned most people only use or require the power available in an iPhone 6s, most of the other features are gimmicks to differentiate it from the 6s/7/8, nothing more. I don’t believer the iPhone X is worth the additional cost, even with the redesign and features. I have an iPhone SE (I love the size), if I got an iPhone X for the price of a 7 or 8, I may consider it. However at the present price structure, not a chance.

 

[oyabroch!]

-a-asaskAOS

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Though not really a “wow” factor, people who use mobile phone devices were looking for something new, a change from the four year old design that was the iPhone 6/6s/7/8. That is one of the reasons the iPhone X sold. If the iPhone 8 and iPhone X had all the same features, i.e. AMOLED, FaceID, Animoji, etc and the only differentiation was the near full screen to the oversized bezels on the top and bottom (even if TouchID) was removed, the iPhone X would still sell, as it has always been a status symbol for many and around the world, a fashion statement regardless of cost (hence Apple can get away with the price increase).

If Apple introduced a redesigned iPhone with the internals of the 7 and exterior of the X it would sell better compared to an iPhone 8 with the internals of the X. The computing power of an iPhone 6s is what most users will ever require, even today. Most apps do not even utilize the A10 Fusion let alone the A11 Bionic power. A better battery and an exterior redesign was all that was required to satisfy the masses. If you believe most people are not shallow to brag about they status, wealth and power with a mobile phone device, you do not go out much.

iPhone X exterior with iPhone 7 internal hardware, or
iPhone 8 exterior with iPhone X internal hardware.

It’s evidently sold because Apple appear pleased and some own it on here, but I’ve seen 2 since launch. I get the impression it’s not a huge seller based on this and perhaps satisfies a small segment of the market that wanted a different looking iPhone.

I’d say it’s a statement symbol in developing countries though, certainly not the country I live in. That could be said of any smartphone over £500 though.

 

[BobVB]

I wonder what the result would have been if Apple had been able to place both on the X or 8...

I would have gotten one. My spouse sometimes needs to access my phone and having their ‘emergency’ thumb as an option means they don’t have to remember my 6 digit passcode and I don't have to write it down for them.

As long as Face ID only works with one person and is the exclusive option I will be using a Touch ID phone. If that eventually becomes impossible I’ll switch to a different brand.