iPhone fans who have pre-ordered the iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus have already started sharing their deliveries as the official release day is upon us. You have to give Apple credit: they don’t let their hype go to waste. They announce the product, get you excited, open up pre-orders, and then ship the product. That entire process takes a little more than a week in most cases. Meanwhile, the LG V30 is coming… Sometime…
Of course, if you jumped on the iPhone X hype train then you’re still waiting for that beautiful, bezel-less device to become available for pre-order. That’s right. After teasing us with FaceID, a new OLED display, a sleek new design, and the most impressive specs ever packed into an iPhone: Apple has yet to open up iPhone X pre-orders.
So, what’s the delay?
There is a lot of speculation surrounding the iPhone X but very little confirmation from Apple. Respected industry analysts believe the iPhone X is facing a very serious production crunch. In fact, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that production hasn’t even started yet. The apparent problem is with supply capabilities for that sexy new OLED display. Apparently, Apple is only able to produce 10,000 iPhones per day which means there will be an incredibly limited supply once release day rolls around. This means, a lot of iPhone X buyers will likely be waiting until 2018 to get their beloved smartphone. Those guys that lined up early for the launch outside of Apple stores don’t look so crazy now, do they?
While most people will have to wait until 2018 for the iPhone X, a few people will get their devices before they have to buy a new calendar. Apple is opening up iPhone X pre-orders on October 27th with expected delivery set for November 3rd. However, with the expected high demand and incredibly low supply, iPhone X pre-orders likely won’t be open long.
It’s not uncommon for Apple to sell out during their pre-order period. However, I’m still able to go onto the Apple website and place a pre-order for an iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus if I feel so inclined. Clearly, a lot of people are waiting for the iPhone X. I will tell you right now: set your alarm on October 27th and book time off in your calendar. The iPhone X pre-orders will be open for about 5 seconds if the rumors of low supply are true. Since the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus didn’t sell out; I expect a lot of people will be pressing F5 on the Apple store on October 27th. If the Apple store website doesn’t crash on October 27th then whoever is responsible for Apple’s servers deserves a raise and a $25 Wendy’s gift card.
Basically: iPhone X pre-orders are going to sell quick and, realistically, you probably won’t be able to get one. I’m sorry to burst your bubble and rain on your parade but the fact is that there will be tens or even hundreds of millions of people around the world trying to buy an iPhone X at the same time while only two or three million units are actually available for pre-order.
The silver lining is that most people will have more time to save for the iPhone X. With a starting price of $999; the iPhone X isn’t exactly something you can ask Grandma for this Christmas unless your Grandma happens to work at an Apple store and doesn’t mind setting one aside for you. Most people will be digging deep into the couch cushions to find the money needed for Apple’s newest smartphone. If production doesn’t catch up until 2018 then that means a few more months of saving. Get a seasonal retail job, shovel some driveways, cut back on pumpkin spice lattes, or get a paper route: you’re going to need it. In all fairness, the Galaxy Note 8 isn’t much less expensive than the iPhone X so it’s not like you can save much money by going with the iPhone X’s biggest competition.
Of course, the iPhone X isn’t all just fanboy hype. There is some real tech packed into that little device. The A11 chip is the most powerful chip in a smartphone. It blows the Snapdragon 835 out of the water in benchmark tests and even surpasses the iPad Pro. Of course, you do have to ask yourself if all of that power is even necessary. I guess it would be beneficial for having a few extra Chrome tabs open. Also, it should be noted that the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus both have the A11 chip as well. Oh, and they are available without having to wait until 2018. And they cost less. But they have bezels, so…
There is also the matter of FaceID! It’s more secure than a fingerprint sensor which is good because Apple took the fingerprint sensor out back and gave it the headphone jack/Old Yeller treatment.
If you have been patiently waiting for iPhone X pre-orders then you will have to keep waiting until the end of October. That may be easier said than done as more and more people opt for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Those shiny new devices may test your willpower but try your best to stay strong. It will all be worth it… Unless, of course, your iPhone X pre-order is delayed into 2018.
What do you think? Will you keep waiting for iPhone X pre-orders to open up or are you going to look at a different device this fall?
