Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Where I work I only know of one person who has got the X right now. I got an 8 and another an 8+. I agree with some of the above posts that cost may be a factor but rather people may be just hanging onto their phones longer. I am not saying my anecdotal evidence is anything but that. I am sure there are places where more people have bought a X.
 
Have you try watching a movie in full screen and have that notch there? I have and its ridiculous.

For one, I don't watch any movies on my iPhone, which I don't find the appeal in doing that. And the notch being there, yes it's noticeable, but I'm not watching A two hour film on a iPhone X, when I can easily use my iPad or my 4K TV for that. But for everything else, the notch really doesn't Affect me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lloydbm41
Many people don’t even know about the X. I had quite a few people ask me ‘what’s that?’ and not even realize it was an iPhone due to the form factor. We’re all tech and Apple fanatics on here and lose sight that we’re really the minority - not everyone is obsessed with tech like us.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iSilas
You're right. I used my X on the scanner to check in at Seattle airport Sunday night and the young TSA agent asked if it was an X. When I said yes, she smiled and asked me about it for a second, said it was the first one she'd seen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ToroidalZeus
Many people don’t even know about the X. I had quite a few people ask me ‘what’s that?’ and not even realize it was an iPhone due to the form factor. We’re all tech and Apple fanatics on here and lose sight that we’re really the minority - not everyone is obsessed with tech like us.

And to add to your point, most of the average iPhone consumers dont pay attention to the iPhone X the way others do on here . Its the heavy tech enthusiasts that are more prone to looking for defects, watching every movement with their iPhone shipment thread, who has the better display, etc. I would say the majority of iPhones I see in the general public is the iPhone 6s or iPhone 7. The iPhone X is still a fairly rare sight, being it's only been available for a month.
 
You're right. I used my X on the scanner to check in at Seattle airport Sunday night and the young TSA agent asked if it was an X. When I said yes, she smiled and asked me about it for a second, said it was the first one she'd seen.
I goto to a large university (25k+ students) and I have not seen 1 iPhone X yet. My anecdotal experience is iPhone X is not that popular. I have no clue how to rationalize that with the sales figures. There must be an explanation besides muh sample size.
 
This iPhone crowd does not sound one bit excited about the X, like no urgency or lusting after the phone, like I thought some maybe would. People just don't seem to care anymore.

As other have said, there's just not that much to get excited about. There had been one feature that did make me want to upgrade in the past. It's the camera, but that's already come a long way and is plateauing. The cameras in the early smartphones all took photos that reminded you of pixelated early Web photos viewed on Netscape Navigator and it was enticing to upgrade regularly to get access to a camera that could actually grab some decent frames.

The cameras keep improving, but the gap between a smartphone camera and my DSLR is still so big that I know that no matter what the manufacturers tell us, the camera in my pocket is not going to be my goto camera anytime soon no matter what the manufacturers want to claim. The iPhone 7 I have is already plenty good enough for convenience pics, but so very far from relieving me of having to tote around heavy gear.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Martyimac and dk001
What is the biggest thing then? :)
Most mainstream people I know replace their phones because of wear and tear on their old device, not because they want the new features found in newer models. I expect the biggest thing for them is that the new device works properly and battery doesn't die too quickly.

The non-techie iPhone users I know, they just buy whatever latest iPhone at the desired screen size that fits their budget. The simplicity of Apple's product line up really helps here.

The non-techie Android users, most get the phones that the carriers are offering deals for.

A smartphone is a battery-powered mobile device so wear and tear is inevitable. Hence, even if the old device is sufficient in terms of processing power, people will still need to replace their smartphones eventually.
 
Have you try watching a movie in full screen and have that notch there? I have and its ridiculous.

I like the way video looks on my X fullscreen. Going to each corner looks good to me. I don't watch anything longer than a few minute video though. Use my iPad Pro for anything longer.
 
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?

Very sad but true
 
I like the way video looks on my X fullscreen. Going to each corner looks good to me. I don't watch anything longer than a few minute video though. Use my iPad Pro for anything longer.
So you like that notch that stuck out like a sore thumb on the left side in full screen? Nice to know
 
  • Like
Reactions: Applejuiced
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?

I have to agree with you. I’m a teacher and I work in a school with 81 teachers and 30 office and administrative staff. About half of them have either an iPhone 6 or 7. Only me and another teacher have the iPhone X.
 
Seriously? Never understood these critiques. Seems like the same people crying about the notch, cried about the red dot on the Apple Watch crown. Neither design decision is significant to take away from the product itself or its usability.
[doublepost=1512629579][/doublepost]

Not crying about anything, just not purchasing something I do not like.
Is it that hard to realize that people have different uses, needs and preferences?
 
Not crying about anything, just not purchasing something I do not like.
Is it that hard to realize that people have different uses, needs and preferences?

Some may see it as crying considering the majority of your posts make mention of your dislike of the notch. You're certainly entitled to your opinion though. Does that mean you'll switch platforms in the near future or just keep what you have for a while?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Michael Scrip
You completely misread what I said.

You couldn't get an iPhone X in stores for more than a day at a time for a month and a half. They're selling like crazy.

I get that. But I think the whole "shortage" thing was completely 100% planned so that there would somehow, magically be, at the biggest selling time of the year, plenty of iPhones in stock. Just my opinion. They say it was because they were "selling so fast", I say it was planned marketing well executed.
 
I get that. But I think the whole "shortage" thing was completely 100% planned so that there would somehow, magically be, at the biggest selling time of the year, plenty of iPhones in stock. Just my opinion. They say it was because they were "selling so fast", I say it was planned marketing well executed.

Do people still believe Apple purposely keeps stock low? And that a "fake" shortage is actually a good thing?

Here's why that theory falls apart for me: every day that an iPhone is unavailable for purchase... is a day where someone might decide to not buy a new phone at all. Or they might buy some other brand of phone. It's too risky.

You don't turn away people if they have cash in-hand. Especially $800 to $1,000 of cash.

I can't see anything to gain from knowing there are 500,000 people every day who want to buy your phone... and you know you can produce 500,000 units a day... but you make the active decision to make only 300,000 units available. That's insane. :p

If anything... Apple would be producing MORE units now in this first month because of the overwhelming demand... then they'd lower production later in the year once demand calms down.

But you're suggesting the opposite... that Apple is purposely keeping production low in this first month.

That makes no sense to me. :)

I don't believe Apple is "creating a shortage" on purpose... especially in this first month.

The shortage is the result of a maximum amount of iPhones that can possibly be produced in one day... but the number of people who want iPhones every day is greater than the number of iPhones produced.

I think it's called "supply and demand" ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: rui no onna
I get that. But I think the whole "shortage" thing was completely 100% planned so that there would somehow, magically be, at the biggest selling time of the year, plenty of iPhones in stock. Just my opinion. They say it was because they were "selling so fast", I say it was planned marketing well executed.

Apple perfected the art of planned shortages and constrained supply to create artificial demand and the sense of a hard to get item that you are lucky to be able to buy it while others cannot.
They been doing this for years and it has worked out great for them :)
[doublepost=1512671858][/doublepost]
Do people still believe Apple purposely keeps stock low? And that a "fake" shortage is actually a good thing?

Here's why that theory falls apart for me: every day that an iPhone is unavailable for purchase... is a day where someone might decide to not buy a new phone at all. Or they might buy some other brand of phone. It's too risky.

You don't turn away people if they have cash in-hand. Especially $800 to $1,000 of cash.

I can't see anything to gain from knowing there are 500,000 people every day who want to buy your phone... and you know you can produce 500,000 units a day... but you make the active decision to make only 300,000 units available. That's insane. :p

If anything... Apple would be producing MORE units now in this first month because of the overwhelming demand... then they'd lower production later in the year once demand calms down.

But you're suggesting the opposite... that Apple is purposely keeping production low in this first month.

That makes no sense to me. :)

I don't believe Apple is "creating a shortage" on purpose... especially in this first month.

The shortage is the result of a maximum amount of iPhones that can possibly be produced in one day... but the number of people who want iPhones every day is greater than the number of iPhones produced.

I think it's called "supply and demand" ;)

It might make no sense to you or you might not understand it but that's exactly what Apple has been doing for years.
And they made billions by those strategies with long lines and exposure to TV and social media.
Nintendo and many other companies have been implementing similar constrained supply strategies to keep demand and sales high.
Read a book:D

yeah-read-a-book.jpg
 
Last edited:
Apple perfected the art of planned shortages and constrained supply to create artificial demand and the sense of a hard to get item that you are lucky to be able to buy it while others cannot.
They been doing this for years and it has worked out great for them :)
[doublepost=1512671858][/doublepost]

It might make no sense to you or you might not understand it but that's exactly what Apple has been doing for years.
And they made billions by those strategies with long lines and exposure to TV and social media.
Nintendo and many other companies have been implementing similar constrained supply strategy to keep demand and sales high.
Read a book:D

View attachment 740797
SMH. These conspiracy theories are amazing. Yes, companies tend to be conservative with their sales projections, especially Apple, and they plan for underestimate demand accordingly. However, it's in no one's best interest to grossly underestimate/purposely constrain supply. People get fired for bad demand planning, that's their job. In addition, it's well documented there is a real issue in their supply chain producing the X's for a number of technical reasons as well as there not being many manufacturers in the world who can even produce components to Apple's specs.

I'm sure you know better because... you "read a book" and/or are some kind of marketing expert? All books are not created equal, i.e. business section vs. fiction.
 
It might make no sense to you or you might not understand it but that's exactly what Apple has been doing for years.
And they made a killing by those strategies with long lines and exposure to TV and social media.
Nintendo and many other companies have been implementing similar constrained supply strategy to keep demand and sales high.
Read a book:D

Ok... maybe I misunderstood.

Are you talking about the shortages on DAY ONE? Where people were lined up on November 3rd? (or earlier?)

But it's been a month. Does Apple purposely limit production after launch to create continual shortages? That's what I was questioning.

I think Apple would have preferred to sell 30 million iPhones on launch weekend if they could... instead of the 10 million or whatever.

And guess what... they would have sold those 30 million units... and realized that extra $18 billion in juicy revenue that first weekend... and STILL had people waiting in line! It's the best of both worlds!

I understand the lines and creating buzz... but I also understand cold hard cash.

And in the context of this particular thread... it might not be a good idea to turn away anyone because of product unavailability due to purposely constrained supply.

Those non-fans might go elsewhere.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Applejuiced
Ok... maybe I misunderstood.

Are you talking about the shortages on DAY ONE? Where people were lined up on November 3rd? (or earlier?)

But it's been a month. Does Apple purposely limit production after launch to create continual shortages? That's what I was questioning.

I think Apple would have preferred to sell 30 million iPhones on launch weekend if they could... instead of the 10 million or whatever.

And guess what... they would have sold those 30 million units... and realized that extra $18 billion in juicy revenue that first weekend... and STILL had people waiting in line! It's the best of both worlds!

I understand the lines and creating buzz... but I also understand cold hard cash.

And in the context of this particular thread... it might not be a good idea to turn away anyone because of product unavailability due to purposely constrained supply.

Those non-fans might go elsewhere.

Yes, off course they want to sell as much as possible and maximize profit but also keep the demand high and the statue quo and image of a product that is high in demand and the feeling of privilege to have one yourself while other consumers have to wait a long time or chase stock around.
Trust me they know what they're doing with supply, marketing and sales and the amount of stock they release and at what time intervals. ;)
They are really good at what they do and how they do it. That's why they are the most valuable company in the world. Nothing they do is random.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.