Apple has finally unveiled the iPhone 7, which boasts of high-resolution cameras and no headphone jack. The device could have many people interested, but there are many who want to wait for the iPhone 8.
Why wait for the iPhone 8?
Since Apple would be celebrating the tenth anniversary of the iPhone next year, many believe the next iPhone will come with lots of improvements and new features. Hence, they are willing to wait for it. At the same time, BGR makes a contrasting case that by waiting for the iPhone 8, one might miss out on an amazing iPhone 7 experience this year.
For the last two quarters, iPhone sales had been declining, and this raised the stakes for the iPhone 7. There are some consumers and analysts who are waiting until 2017 for the next iPhone iteration, notes Reuters.
Near the end of the event, @LewBruh tweeted, “Just gonna wait on iPhone 8 cuz it’s the 10th anniversary of iPhone. Ya know they gonna do something big.”
Jackdaw Research analyst Jan Dawson told Reuters, “It looks like part of the reason they are keeping the design the same this year is there are bigger changes they are working on for next year.”
Dawson predicts single-digit gains for this year’s iPhone sales. Also BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis told Reuters that the “iPhone 7 runs the risk of disappointing investors.”
Many believe next year’s iPhone – being referred to as the iPhone 8 — will sport a wider display that will reach from one edge of the device to the other. Also the device will reportedly come with an invisible home button embedded in the screen.
Don’t miss the iPhone 7 experience
This doesn’t mean that the iPhone 7 isn’t exciting. The biggest changes to the new iPhone are a new home button, an upgraded camera, and the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack. The Plus model comes with an even more powerful “dual-lens” camera. The iPhone box will now include earphones that will fit into the phone’s Lightning port, which is used for data transfer and charging. Also the new iPhones are water resistant and come in five unique colors, including two new shades of black: a matte black and a glossy black.
Mike Binger, a senior portfolio manager at Gradient Investments LLC in Minneapolis, told Reuters that the new phone provided him encouragement that Apple was in good shape for a new sales cycle.
“I think the iPhone 7, just from a replacement basis, will be a successful launch,” he said.
What analysts need to understand that a brand new design is no guarantee of a better mobile experience, says BGR. The iPhone 6s was a major upgrade compared to the iPhone 6. Likewise, the iPhone 7 will be even faster than the iPhone 6s, which is already speedy, and miles ahead of the iPhone 6.
“If a fresh design is all that matters to you and you plan on waiting on the iPhone 8 to arrive before upgrading your iPhone, then you’ll miss out on a great smartphone experience,” says BGR.