iPhone X Apple is losing its mainstream, non-fan core with the X

[Princejb134]

The X seems to be appealing to the core fan base, but so many people I know are either sticking with their current iPhone or going to another phone vendor. In our office not a single person out of 30 is remotely interested in the X. Of these, about 3/4 are iPhone users. Five of those (including me) have switched to an S8 or Note 8. In past years, there was a palpable excitement about the new phones. This round has fallen very flat. Where does Apple go from here? Yes, the X is selling well overall, but Apple is losing its mojo and edge as they slowly run out of ideas. Are the exciting days gone? Is the iPhone just another phone to most people outside of the fan base?

Only problem I see with the x is the price.
Second problem I see with Apple is just not worth upgrading nowadays. I'm still on my iPhone 6s and it runs as smooth as butter. Do I need a new iPhone? Not really since they all have pretty much the sam features. Will I get a iPhone x this year. Yes just because I actually like the notch

 

[andrewface]

this thread aged well

 

[aevan]

this thread aged well

Lol, true.

 

[639051]

Honestly? People are just used to "new new new new new" all the time and if they are not constantly shocked or surprised with shiny things they start to look elsewhere.

I've been back and forth to Android and iOS for years but there is nothing that Android offers me that is compelling enough to switch again. I'd much rather have a stable device that gets prompt updates rather than some random feature Samsung throws in the most recent product, half baked or not.

Either way, if I keep the XS Max or go back to the 8Plus, it will be my several year device. Phones just aren't exciting and that's okay, they have reached a point where they are all really good and pick what you want and keep it as long as you can.

 

[sean000]

Either way, if I keep the XS Max or go back to the 8Plus, it will be my several year device. Phones just aren't exciting and that's okay, they have reached a point where they are all really good and pick what you want and keep it as long as you can.

Personally the iPhone X was the first exciting phone upgrade I've had since maybe the 4? I remember really appreciating the resolution upgrade from the 3G to the 4. After that it was kind of ho-hum until the iPhone 6. With that one I appreciated another uptick in resolution and also the ability to shoot very good video. The iPhone X was more exciting to me on many levels: Major camera upgrade and my first dual camera smartphone (the plus phones were too big for me), FaceID, amazing big display, 4K video, I like using the gesture more than the home button. It was definitely the most fun I've had with a new iPhone in years, and I'm still amazed by it. I'm not really tempted to upgrade to the XS. I will probably keep my iPhone X until it gets too slow or until a new model offers something truly exciting.

I agree that it's okay if new phones aren't exciting, but it's also fun when they are. Mostly we just want our smartphones to be useful, convenient, and reliable. We also want them to be fun, but they don't necessarily have to wow us with new features and tricks every year. I'm glad to see that Apple really did focus on stability, speed, and usability for iOS 12. I can tell that they weren't kidding. It's not perfect, but it's faster on older devices and they really did improve things like notifications and gestures.

 

[1rottenapple]

Laptops a stopped being exciting excuse it reached it peak. Same with phones. They have reach their peak really quickly I think because of the pace of technology. Heck, when was the last time TV was exciting? You buy a TV when you are making a room, when you need one, or when your current one breaks. You don’t upgrade every year. Resolution keeps getting higher but who cares really.

The next thing is smart watches but I’m sure in 7 years it will be passe. I want an always on display and I’ll totally drop my series 3. Heck I’ll buy my parents an apple warch 4 or 5 next year because of their health features.

Cars have suddenly begun exciting right now because of electric cars but I’m sure it will stagnate in 15yr. Maybe it’ll take more time to stagnate but people need to **** about phones being boring. Android is boring. iOS is boring. They’ve reached a peak where they’re pretty good and will last years. You note 9 will be a great phone 4 yrs from now. Same with the galaxy 8. Heck my coworkers galaxy 7 takes awesome picture and he love it. The display is crip and it’s 2 yrs old.

I really think the XS max is first 4 year iPhone for me. Face unlock is fast and pretty seemless. Camera is great, low light is pretty good. Battery is pretty good. What more can I ask. And yes I paid full price.

This is someone coming from a yrly phone upgrade. 2g, 3g, 4, 4s, 5, 5c, 5s, 6 plus, 7 plus, 8 plus, xs max. There’s really no big changes and that is fine. Same with my laptop, it’s a 2017 and I don’t foresee buying one till my stupid keyboard warranty runs out and it breaks. I’ll probably throw it down a mountainside when it does.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Laptops laptop a stopped being exciting excuse it reached it peak. Same phones reach their peak really quickly I think because of the pace of technology. Heck, when was the last time TV was exciting? Resolution keeps getting higher but who cares really. The next thing is smart watches but I’m sure in 7 years it will be passe.

My favourite things this year are smart speakers. Even the Apple Watch because I’ve had one since launch is becoming old hat.

 

[1rottenapple]

My favourite things this year are smart speakers. Even the Apple Watch because I’ve had one since launch is becoming old hat.

I haven’t jumped on that wagon since I usually use my AirPods for music or the speakers on my phone. Heck I listen to podcast and YouTube 99% of the time and there’s no need to buy smart speakers. But heck, how often will you upgrade a speaker? Once til it dies I guessing for most people.

The first gen Apple Watch is quiet a dog from what I have heard. Series 4 would be a great upgrade for you.

But anyway I like the smart home. I Like my nest thermostat (It’s really been one of my best purchases in yrs/ to turn on your ac and come home to a cool home is great), smart smoke alarm (this is my next purchase), and rachio smart sprinklers (also a great product). Smart home product are where I’m interested and Apple doesn’t have a foothold on this as their home products are none existent and HomeKit is terrible.

Likely a security system and camera are down the road for me

 

[Shanghaichica]

I haven’t jumped on that wagon since I usually use my AirPods for music or the speakers on my phone. Heck I listen to podcast and YouTube 99% of the time and there’s no need to buy smart speakers. But heck, how often will you upgrade a speaker? Once til it dies I guessing for most people.

The first gen Apple Watch is quiet a dog from what I have heard. Series 4 would be a great upgrade for you.

But anyway I like the smart home. I Like my nest thermostat (It’s really been one of my best purchases in yrs/ to turn on your ac and come home to a cool home is great), smart smoke alarm (this is my next purchase), and rachio smart sprinklers (also a great product). Smart home product are where I’m interested and Apple doesn’t have a foothold on this as their home products are none existent and HomeKit is terrible.

Likely a security system and camera are down the road for me

When they die that’s when they are getting replaced.

 

[1rottenapple]

Too bad they don’t make battery replacements easy at all.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I haven’t jumped on that wagon since I usually use my AirPods for music or the speakers on my phone. Heck I listen to podcast and YouTube 99% of the time and there’s no need to buy smart speakers. But heck, how often will you upgrade a speaker? Once til it dies I guessing for most people.

The first gen Apple Watch is quiet a dog from what I have heard. Series 4 would be a great upgrade for you.

But anyway I like the smart home. I Like my nest thermostat (It’s really been one of my best purchases in yrs/ to turn on your ac and come home to a cool home is great), smart smoke alarm (this is my next purchase), and rachio smart sprinklers (also a great product). Smart home product are where I’m interested and Apple doesn’t have a foothold on this as their home products are none existent and HomeKit is terrible.

Likely a security system and camera are down the road for me

I’m on the series 3 now but came from the series 0. The 0 wasn’t bad when it first came out but by the time I upgraded it was as slow as a tortoise and could only last about 8 hours on a charge.

 

[1rottenapple]

I’m on the series 3 now but came from the series 0. The 0 wasn’t bad when it first came out but by the time I upgraded it was as slow as a tortoise and could only last about 8 hours on a charge.

Ya first generation products. Apple didn’t really know what the Apple Watch was. Was it a small iPhone (nope).

I love the direction as a health lifestyle gadget I think series 3 was when they realized the direction of the watch. It shouldn’t be a iPhone replacement cause who wants to read a long email on the small screen. Who wants to look at pics or twitter or Facebook on thei 1in screen.

Gosh if they can build a gadget that can help people live longer productive lives that would be revolutionary. I think the ecg is just the start. Can you imagine if it can monitor blood sugar and glucose levels? I believe that’s where they’ve going and that can save lives. That can be more revolutionary then a phone imho.

 

[kazmac]

Laptops a stopped being exciting excuse it reached it peak. Same with phones. They have reach their peak really quickly I think because of the pace of technology. Heck, when was the last time TV was exciting? You buy a TV when you are making a room, when you need one, or when your current one breaks. You don’t upgrade every year. Resolution keeps getting higher but who cares really.

The next thing is smart watches but I’m sure in 7 years it will be passe. I want an always on display and I’ll totally drop my series 3. Heck I’ll buy my parents an apple warch 4 or 5 next year because of their health features.

Cars have suddenly begun exciting right now because of electric cars but I’m sure it will stagnate in 15yr. Maybe it’ll take more time to stagnate but people need to **** about phones being boring. Android is boring. iOS is boring. They’ve reached a peak where they’re pretty good and will last years. You note 9 will be a great phone 4 yrs from now. Same with the galaxy 8. Heck my coworkers galaxy 7 takes awesome picture and he love it. The display is crip and it’s 2 yrs old.

I really think the XS max is first 4 year iPhone for me. Face unlock is fast and pretty seemless. Camera is great, low light is pretty good. Battery is pretty good. What more can I ask. And yes I paid full price.

This is someone coming from a yrly phone upgrade. 2g, 3g, 4, 4s, 5, 5c, 5s, 6 plus, 7 plus, 8 plus, xs max. There’s really no big changes and that is fine. Same with my laptop, it’s a 2017 and I don’t foresee buying one till my stupid keyboard warranty runs out and it breaks. I’ll probably throw it down a mountainside when it does.

Please post footage of that ...

You and others make a good point of how smart phones have reached their peak. I just want a phone with stable, more secure OS and solid cellular, WiFi reception at a price I would pay, not what Apple or anyone else wants. These 2018 models are not it. So I am grateful that my 7+ is humming along just fine.

 

[1rottenapple]

The 8 was great. I really w

Please post footage of that ...

You and others make a good point of how smart phones have reached their peak. I just want a phone with stable, more secure OS and solid cellular, WiFi reception at a price I would pay, not what Apple or anyone else wants. These 2018 models are not it. So I am grateful that my 7+ is humming along just fine.

Lol don’t get started on the keyboard. The 2017 laptops WERE perfect for me. Bad the keyboard literally is a broken design. I have to blow compressed air through it. One letter was getting stuck. It’s the same compressor I use for my car lol.

 

[960design]

Maybe $1k for a phone that once started at $199 isn't settling well with the masses...

I purchased the original iPhone on the day of release and it was something like $800US. So the price has not gone up too much.

I purchased and received three iPhoneX on the day of release. I'll help offset your office imbalance.

 

[thadoggfather]

I purchased the original iPhone on the day of release and it was something like $800US. So the price has not gone up too much.

I purchased and received three iPhoneX on the day of release. I'll help offset your office imbalance.

Pretty sure it was $499/$599 4/8gb with a 2 year required ATT contract. Unless you jailbroke and hacktivated it

 

[ikjadoon]

Pretty sure it was $499/$599 4/8gb with a 2 year required ATT contract. Unless you jailbroke and hacktivated it

On these sorts of timescales (10+ years), inflation is probably important. In 2018 dollars in the US, that's $600/$725 (source).

The better comparisons are the iPhone 3G to 5S, which all started @ launch = $200 w/ contract ($230 in 2018 dollars). Most people stay with their carrier (even after removing contracts), so for those people, it stings.

Used to be $200 for the latest iPhone if you liked your carrier enough.
Now it's $750 for the latest iPhone and you have the benefit of potentially switching carriers.

Wireless ain't cheap, honestly. You're paying at least $1200 (3 years @ $35/month). Wish those went down, too. I'd rather pay Apple than AT&T, the slimy gits. At least Apple competes; AT&T in some (not all) markets survives on mere monopoly.

 

[Fthree]

Honestly? People are just used to "new new new new new" all the time and if they are not constantly shocked or surprised with shiny things they start to look elsewhere.

I've been back and forth to Android and iOS for years but there is nothing that Android offers me that is compelling enough to switch again. I'd much rather have a stable device that gets prompt updates rather than some random feature Samsung throws in the most recent product, half baked or not.

Either way, if I keep the XS Max or go back to the 8Plus, it will be my several year device. Phones just aren't exciting and that's okay, they have reached a point where they are all really good and pick what you want and keep it as long as you can.

its kinda funny just last night I bought a 10xs max (having a X already) as soon as i started using it i wasn't wowed by it and it really didn't seem that big of a deal however the more I've used it i have grown to love and appreciate its size over my X.

 

[Zwhaler]

Apple has been positioning itself as a designer brand ever since the Apple Watch edition. The bar is set higher, financially. That's the way they want it. The XR is for everybody else who insists on a 2018-2019 iPhone, and even the bar is high with that one. The older models are for everybody else.

 

[960design]

Pretty sure it was $499/$599 4/8gb with a 2 year required ATT contract. Unless you jailbroke and hacktivated it

I withdraw my momentary idiocy. The phone was exactly as you stated. The other receipt was for the bluetooth headset and combo stand/charger that added the extra $200 and change.

 

[sean000]

Apple has been positioning itself as a designer brand ever since the Apple Watch edition. The bar is set higher, financially. That's the way they want it. The XR is for everybody else who insists on a 2018-2019 iPhone, and even the bar is high with that one. The older models are for everybody else.

That’s literally the way personal computing technology has been sold for decades. When has owning the latest tech not cost a premium over the stuff from one or two years ago? I don’t own many Apple products, but I have always considered Apple to be a designer brand that was as much about style as it was about anything else. I never owned an iPod because there were music players with more capacity and better sound quality for less, but they just didn’t look as cool or work as easily as the iPod. Sometimes I think the Apple premium is worth it, and sometimes I don’t.

 

[Steve686]

That’s literally the way personal computing technology has been sold for decades. When has owning the latest tech not cost a premium over the stuff from one or two years ago? I don’t own many Apple products, but I have always considered Apple to be a designer brand that was as much about style as it was about anything else. I never owned an iPod because there were music players with more capacity and better sound quality for less, but they just didn’t look as cool or work as easily as the iPod. Sometimes I think the Apple premium is worth it, and sometimes I don’t.

Back in the day you were the shiznit if you had a 17” MacBook Pro. It was the elite of elite style and prestige for mobile computing. I never did get one but had the lowly white plastic MacBook.

Nowadays you see the MBP everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Starbucks has turned into a MBP Mecca.

Having said that, ya Apple is commanding a premium price for the MBP while giving light users the option of $1,000 range machines.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Apple has been positioning itself as a designer brand ever since the Apple Watch edition. The bar is set higher, financially. That's the way they want it. The XR is for everybody else who insists on a 2018-2019 iPhone, and even the bar is high with that one. The older models are for everybody else.

I think thats a dangerous strategy in the long term when you consider how many demographics buy the iPhone. If they stop producing interesting products for the mainstream and expect them to purchase much older handsets, it’s likely to cause a shift to more affordable options with modern features.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I think thats a dangerous strategy in the long term when you consider how many demographics buy the iPhone. If they stop producing interesting products for the mainstream and expect them to purchase much older handsets, it’s likely to cause a shift to more affordable options with modern features.

Totally agree. I did but the max this time because I wanted to go back to a bigger screen but if they continue to increase prices I don’t see myself buying older models. I don’t think I’d pay much more for a phone. Maybe £100 more than this phone but that’s it.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Totally agree. I did but the max this time because I wanted to go back to a bigger screen but if they continue to increase prices I don’t see myself buying older models. I don’t think I’d pay much more for a phone. Maybe £100 more than this phone but that’s it.

I’ve decided £700 is my absolute limit and £35p/m over two years. Beyond that for me it’s beyond a need and falls into the unnecessary purchase category. I know a lot of my peers are questioning why these phones are getting so expensive and I can’t really see a reasonable explanation. When you consider an iPhone XS costs Apple £283 ($370), we realise how much of a huge markup there is in these devices. All this crap about more expensive technology and R&D is spouted around but much of that is absorbed into development budgets anyway.