December 28, 2017 Update: The $999 entry-level pricing of the iPhone X has ensured that some Apple fans cannot purchase the premium smartphone.
But those users who have been priced out of the market may be about to get some good news.
Apple has reportedly struggled to shift the iPhone X in several markets, meaning that the manufacturer is now toying with the idea of price reductions, at least in some parts of the world.
This could also impact on the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus going forward.
New York research firm JL Warren Capital recently suggested that there is “weak demand” for the iPhone X due to the “high price point and a lack of interesting innovations” included in the phone.
October 27, 2017 Update: There was bad news for Apple fans today as the brand new iPhone X sold out in less than 10 minutes worldwide. The smartphone has just been made available for pre-order, and mobile enthusiasts all over the globe absolutely bombarded Apple with requests to purchase the next-generation handset.
If you don’t want to go as a bat, representing your financial status, Versus offers a fun choice of alternatives for Halloween costumes.
Despite the $999 price tag in the United States, Apple confirmed that all iPhone X units shifted within minutes of being made available. The price was even higher in the United Kingdom, with the £999 price tag being roughly equivalent to $1,300 in the United States.
Yet the situation was exactly the same over the pond; the iPhone X sold out rapidly in Britain, and now Apple devotees wishing to purchase the next generation smartphone will have to wait until 2018.
A certain amount of second-hand units will turn up on sites such as eBay, and there will unquestionably be numerous Apple aficionados willing to shop out vast amounts of money in order to purchase the iPhone X. But for now there will be no more pre-orders of this technology, and none made available this side of the holiday season.
Apple is seeking strong performance from the iPhone X, as it attempts to restore its fortunes. While the Californian corporation remains hugely successful and influential in the technology sphere, its recent sales have not been as prolific as it would have wished for. The iPhone X was an acknowledgement that recent iPhone releases have been rather conservative, and the redesigned smart phone is intended to impress Apple users worldwide.
While the early performance of the iPhone X would suggest that this has been achieved, the reality is that given the number of units made available it is far too to early to draw any realistic conclusions. With only one-third of the usual quantity of smartphone handsets available, it was inevitable that the iPhone X would sell out incredibly quickly when it finally hit the stores.
The excitement surrounding the iPhone X has also impacted on the sales of the iPhone 8. Mike Levin, co-founder of CIRP, believes that the revolutionary wraparound unit profoundly impacted on the performance of the iPhone 8 unit, with the latter being more of an upgrade of previous technology.
“It seems when Apple announced the the forthcoming iPhone X, it changed the market dynamic, and probably depressed demand for the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. Rather than waiting for and buying the iPhone 8, it looks like buyers in this quarter either bought existing models, or decided to wait for iPhone X, later in the year,” Levin commented.
Apple has struggled to accelerate production of the iPhone X, not least because the OLED display panels that it is utilizing in these new smartphones are relatively small in supply. The production of the smartphone has ironically strengthened the ties between Apple and its great rival Samsung, with the Korean corporation being the largest supplier of OLED technology worldwide.
October 26, 2017 Update: Pre-orders for the iPhone X begin in the next 24 hours, and keen consumers can rest assured that supply will be extremely limited. It is already known that many people hoping to pick up an iPhone X will have to wait until 2018, which will be a sobering reality for many Apple fans.
Despite the launch price of the iPhone X being set at a hefty $999 for the entry-level model, interest in the smartphone is still close to feverish. Any Apple release attracts a huge amount of attention, and the revolutionary iPhone X will certainly be no exception to this rule.
Small supply
Complications related to the production of the iPhone X meant that Apple was always likely to begin with a relatively small initial tranche, with the production ramping up as the Apple supply chain becomes accustomed to this mobile. Certainly the introduction of OLED technology has significantly impacted on this device.
With the first day of availability for the iPhone X being November 3, many consumers will be hoping that their smartphone arrives in the mail on this date. But there will be many disappointed Apple fans as well, as the clamor for this next-generation smartphone reaches fever pitch.
iPad app
However, despite the fact that iPhone X availability will be potentially limited, there are steps that can be taken by consumers in order to maximize their chances of acquiring one. Top of the list is pre-ordering the next generation smartphone via the iPad or iPhone application. This can be particularly useful, as the Apple Store website and app often crash ahead of major releases, with the app always coming back up online first.
Knowing the precise time that pre-orders begin is also essential. Officially, the iPhone X will be available for pre-order on Friday, October 27, but it is healthy for US consumers to view the process as a beginning on the previous evening.
Timeframe key
Particularly for Pacific consumers, pre-orders begin at 12 midnight, so those residing in Apple’s home state of California should certainly begin the pre-order process before Friday. This does mean that you’ll need to be up at a late hour on the East Coast, but it is surely worth it for the iPhone X, right?!
In other parts of the United States, iPhone X pre-orders begin at the more leisurely hour of 8am, but even then consumers would be advised to be log on to the app well ahead of this timeframe.
Dry run
Another valuable tactic that can help with getting one’s hands on an iPhone X sooner rather than later is executing a dry run of the purchasing process. Familiarizing yourself with the system ahead of the actual release of the iPhone X will undoubtedly be beneficial, so why not try pretending to purchase an iPhone 8 in order to get accustomed to the system?
This will also enable you to establish all of your credentials, including address and credit card information ahead of the release of the iPhone X. Other details such as Apple Pay, Verizon account password, and other useful details can also be optimized ahead of the smartphone’s emergence.
Refresh regularly
When actually attempting to pre-order the iPhone X, it is important to remember to refresh the App Store both early and regularly. Refreshing your browser on a regular basis will certainly help you in the battle to acquire an iPhone X, while using our suggested device of the iPad Pro will also be beneficial.
Another little tip that should be considered requisite is warning one’s credit or debit card company that a purchase for $999 will be coming out of your account very early in the morning. While the security provisions that see card payments blocked on a frequent basis can be considered somewhat reassuring, this is nevertheless rather annoying when one is attempting to make a legitimate purchase of a highly sought-after item of technology. Definitely forewarn your credit card company of a large impending purchase, otherwise you could find yourself extremely disappointed.
Apple Upgrade for iPhone X users
Keen iPhone X consumers could also consider utilizing the Apple Upgrade program, which also has the bonus of AppleCare+ being included in the price. This also affords those who sign up a sparkling new iPhone unit on an annual basis, which probably justifies the purchase price in itself. Apple has also supposedly papered over the cracks of issues that were encountered with this program last year.
If all else fails, you could queue up to acquire an iPhone X on release day. Apple will be selling a limited number of iPhone X units to walk-in customers, although arriving early is a prerequisite in order to achieve this. Both Apple stores and carriers will have a certain number of iPhone X units, so if you don’t mind braving the inordinately long queues and cold weather, this is a possible option.
iPhone X stock
Finally, it is essential to understand that you will not be able to purchase an iPhone X next month, or indeed at any time in 2017, other than the release day. There will not be any further stock of the iPhone X available over the holiday season, and if you don’t get your hands on one in November, then you will definitely have to wait until 2018.
Apple usually sells around 10 million units on the initial day of any smartphone release, but analysts believe that there will be less than 3 million handsets available on this occasion. Around 25 percent of the usual inventory for a smartphone that is expected to attract more attention than previous generation adds up to an extremely difficult item of technology to locate. Good luck getting your hands on one!
iPhone X Camera rumor
In other iPhone X news, it has been suggested that Apple will relax the specifications on its TrueDepth camera system in order to make producing more iPhone X units more plausible. This can be very much be filed under ‘rumors’, but it seems that Apple is willing to slightly compromise the biometric security replacement for Touch ID in order to get more iPhone X units into the hands of consumers.
Apple will be looking for a big performance from its new smartphone, as iPhone X pre-orders get underway in due course. With the iPhone X specs already in the public domain by now, consumers are eagerly awaiting the final release of the device. With the smartphone due to hit the stores on November 3, there is only a few weeks to wait for ardent Apple fans to receive their handsets.
iPhone X Face ID feature emerges
One of the iPhone X specs that has largely escaped the attention of both the public and the media until recently is an interesting aspect of the Face ID facial recognition system. It seems that the iPhone X is capable of protecting the privacy of users with a solitary glance. Face ID scans the face of anyone who looks at the iPhone X, and then hides any personal details should the person in question be unauthorized. This is certainly a nifty little trick, and one that will add to the security provisions of the iPhone X.
Kuo predicts Touch ID abandoned
There was more news on security issues related to the iPhone X this week, as the infamous KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that Apple will abandon its Touch ID system in 2018. It seems that Face UD will become the go to authentication method for Apple in the next 12 months, as the consumer electronics giant seeks an advantage over its Android competitors.
This is significant, as the analyst believes that it will take other smartphone manufacturers nearly a decade to produce technology that can equal the TrueDepth camera and the Face ID feature coming in the iPhone X. Obviously this will be of concern for major Android developers such as Samsung, and will put pressure on the Galaxy range in the foreseeable future.
It is also worth noting that this suggests that future iPhone releases will all be based around the design that Apple introduced for the iPhone X this year. This indicates that all future Apple releases will feature trimmed down bezels and wraparound displays. However, Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi has previously implied that Apple will continue to support Touch ID for the next couple of years, even though Face ID is the future of biometric authentication.
Mediocre sales figures
Meanwhile, the iPhone X faces a certain amount of pressure, as sales figures for Apple have been somewhat lukewarm recently. The latest data from AT&T indicates that 900,000 Apple users had swapped older smartphones for new models during the third quarter of 2016. This points to a stagnation in the smartphone marketplace that has been a problem for all of the major manufacturers.
However, there is no doubt that the iPhone X is the dominant smartphone among recent iPhone releases, and the device that most consumers are looking forward to with relish. This means that the figures for this effective rebooting of the iPhone concept may be far superior to those of the iPhone 8, and Apple may ultimately have nothing to worry about.
Wraparound display dominates
iPhone X specs have undoubtedly cenetred around the new wraparound display included in the smartphone, with Apple delivering its first ever quad HD screen. The smartphone also completely ditches the Home button, while wireless charging is introduced for the first time. With an upgraded camera and improved specs in such areas as RAM and storage, and an improved hexa-core A11 processor part of the makeup of the device, the iPhone X is certainly an attractive proposition for smartphone consumers. It is also notable that the iPhone X colors number but two – Silver and Space Grey.
iPhone X pre-order date set
With iPhone X pre-orders due to begin on October 27, we will soon have a good idea of the demand for this product. It is, of course, absolutely expected that the iPhone X will sell out of its initial pressing run rather rapidly. But Apple will be monitoring the performance of the iPhone X extremely carefully as it attempts to cement its position as the premier smartphone manufacturer in the world.
Hefty price tag
The iPhone X price begins at $999 for the entry-level version, which is undoubtedly a hefty fee for any mobile device. Nonetheless, the unequalled brand loyalty that Apple has acquired means that the iPhone X is still likely to be an overwhelming success, even at this elevated price tag. And the Apple hierarchy has been pushing the smartphone very forcibly, with the CEO of the Californian company Tim Cook describing the smartphone as “the biggest leap forward since the first iPhone”.
Nonetheless, many consumers will be seeking out iPhone X deals when the smartphone becomes available, with each of the major carriers in the United States set to offer discounts. Considering the premium nature of the smartphone contender, it is likely that any deal for the iPhone X will take place over a 24-month period, although it is hard to know the nature of these deals at present.
No deals yet
This is due to the fact that none of the major players has announced any iPhone X deals as of yet, clearly biding their time in what will be a hugely competitive marketplace. This may be frustrating for consumers, but there is simply no choice other than to wait at present. Big-box retailers such as Walmart, Best Buy and Target will also likely offer iPhone X deals, but no specific offers have been announced as the time of writing.
Still awaiting jailbreak
Another area where the more renegade Apple consumer will have to wait a little while longer is with regard to jailbreaking. Although many users would love to see iOS 11 having been jailbroken ahead of the release of the iPhone X, this is yet to come to fruition. Apple has done everything within its power to dissuade such cracking attempts, and this does seem to have been largely successful.
[mashshare]