There's no pressure at this point, there will always be budgeted Android devices. If anyone should be worry, it's Samsung.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Other Does the Pixel 3A compel Apple to release its own mid-range device?
- Thread starter TrickyTreeRed
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
personally...I feel Apple wants to move away from hardware to become a services company. I think allot of their moves have proven this position.
But you can only sell services to customers that also have your hardware or are customers in another form factor.
So if the hardware sales are slowing then eventually it it not a big leap to sales services will follow.
I’m not sure I’d call it “insanely affordable”, maybe more affordable compared to other iPhones but definitely not “insanely”
The iPhone Xʀ is Apple’s “Entry Level Flagship”. It’s the way it’s worded in almost anything I read or see videos on. Apple does NOT have a true “midrange” device.
$750 is still considered flagship regardless of how people want to look at it.
Samsung is not positioning the S10e as “midrange”. It is there “entry level flagship” device.
That’s just the truth to the whole “debate”
$750 is still considered flagship regardless of how people want to look at it.
Samsung is not positioning the S10e as “midrange”. It is there “entry level flagship” device.
That’s just the truth to the whole “debate”
But there is a strong secondary market for iphones. Apple doesn't have to directly get the revenue from a hardware sale to benefit in the services sector.
True. However; if fewer consumers buy new devices from Apple, there will be less used iPhones coming into the market. And more people are hanging onto their iPhones until they break, stop working, or become too slow for reliable use.
Sure, but many millions of customers can upgrade their phones without changes in market share making for a robust secondary market.
I would hope the Galaxy s10e would compel Apple to release a smaller, lighter phone with better specs than the XR at that same price point.
Agreed XR needs a lower price. Regarding materials, one of my all time favorite phones was the Nokia/Lumia 920, made out a single block of polycarbonate (same as Pixel 3a I believe?), then milled to fit the components. Felt really nice in the hand and could take a severe beating without it showing. Actually, if I had a choice, I'd go for polycarbonate monoblock style even for the high end, given the choice.
what will they run their services on if not hardware? Then the secondary phone market cannot compete with the Pixel 3a in terms of pure specs and camera.
Apple has nothing to worry about when it comes to Google. The Pixel line is utter overpriced garbage and a failure. It's the Samsung phones, especially Note series that are true competition. Apple better bring out something truly amazing to compete with the Note 10 this year
Funny that you support buying phones that cost over 1 grand (closer to 1.5k if you want the memory to probably use the device to its utmost capabilities) , yet you call a phone that cost me $100 to put in my pocket overpriced garbage lol. (with tmobiles trade in of a first generation pixel or a number of other phones, you get $400 off the 3a).
I think you're underestimating how many people will vote with their wallets if apple continues along its current path.
Last edited:
Apple has already hinted that the cameras on the new phones will be better but even if not, the pixie phone does not attract me.
My MAX and iPads work well together and I tried Android for over a year and it was a mess!
I would rather Apple walk their own path and not follow sammy or google.
My MAX and iPads work well together and I tried Android for over a year and it was a mess!
I would rather Apple walk their own path and not follow sammy or google.
Don’t think anyone with an iPhone XS/Xs Max, X or Xr would downgrade to the pixel 3a, it’s not really meant to compete with the iPhones no matter what google is marketing.
Google tried to do the same thing with the original pixels targeting iPhone users, that didn’t work either.
“Pixel 3 buyers don't come from iPhone”
Who's buying Google's latest phone? A study suggests the most likely purchasers are Samsung owners.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/pixel-3-buyers-dont-come-from-iphone/
I believe the pixel 3a will not fare as well in sales as the pixel 3 has, it’s doa.
And the pixel 3 was a massive disappointment for google.
Google tried to do the same thing with the original pixels targeting iPhone users, that didn’t work either.
“Pixel 3 buyers don't come from iPhone”
Who's buying Google's latest phone? A study suggests the most likely purchasers are Samsung owners.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/pixel-3-buyers-dont-come-from-iphone/
I believe the pixel 3a will not fare as well in sales as the pixel 3 has, it’s doa.
And the pixel 3 was a massive disappointment for google.
Don’t think anyone with an iPhone XS/Xs Max, X or Xr would downgrade to the pixel 3a, it’s not really meant to compete with the iPhones no matter what google is marketing.
Google tried to do the same thing with the original pixels targeting iPhone users, that didn’t work either.
“Pixel 3 buyers don't come from iPhone”
Who's buying Google's latest phone? A study suggests the most likely purchasers are Samsung owners.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/pixel-3-buyers-dont-come-from-iphone/
I believe the pixel 3a will not fare as well in sales as the pixel 3 has, it’s doa.
And the pixel 3 was a massive disappointment for google.
You’re missing one big difference in that opinion: Availability
With TMobile, US Cellular, and Sprint having access to it now, they’re reaching an audience that they simply didn’t have before.
I'd happily switch to the 3a except I'd have to give up my Apple Watch and there isn't an alternative I like as much at the moment.
And here is the thing, Apple's lock in- using iMessage and the ease of sync with existing devices users already have make it hard to switch to an Android phone for some users.
I'm not terribly happy about Apple locking me in, but the effort of getting a Pixel 3a- even though it's a much better option for me just isn't worth the hassle.
And here is the thing, Apple's lock in- using iMessage and the ease of sync with existing devices users already have make it hard to switch to an Android phone for some users.
I'm not terribly happy about Apple locking me in, but the effort of getting a Pixel 3a- even though it's a much better option for me just isn't worth the hassle.
Not really.
Availability will not make a difference.
The problem with the pixels are reliability not availability.
https://www.cnet.com/news/pixel-3-owners-still-complain-of-problems-as-pixel-3a-rumors-swirl/
Maybe google will have better luck with the pixel 4, or maybe not.
That makes zero sense. Wow. So basically you're saying that by appearing in thousands of stores more than today, the Pixel 3a is going to fail just because you don't like non-Apple products?
Casual users would like the idea of a $400 device. The instagram generation would love the camera on the 3a. I mean, the XS doesn't have the camera of the 3a at all.Don’t think anyone with an iPhone XS/Xs Max, X or Xr would downgrade to the pixel 3a, it’s not really meant to compete with the iPhones no matter what google is marketing.
Google tried to do the same thing with the original pixels targeting iPhone users, that didn’t work either.
“Pixel 3 buyers don't come from iPhone”
Who's buying Google's latest phone? A study suggests the most likely purchasers are Samsung owners.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/pixel-3-buyers-dont-come-from-iphone/
I believe the pixel 3a will not fare as well in sales as the pixel 3 has, it’s doa.
And the pixel 3 was a massive disappointment for google.
A $400 with that camera in carrier stores is unlikely to be doa.
And yet the xs and xs max still out sold the pixel 3 and pixel 3xl.i believe the xs max and xr each sold 16 million units for q4 18.
Guess that didn’t matter to consumers.
Regarding the 3a I firmly believe it to be doa. Prices will fall to about $200 in 3 months time.
It might do well in India or not, it’s a very competitive market for budget models, it might be over priced and under specced compared to the competition in India. Time will tell.
No I’m saying because the pixel 1, pixel 2, and pixel 3 were all sales failures, the 3a won’t make any difference.
I’m saying if anybody wanted a pixel, they would get a used pixel 3 instead of a pixel 3a for around the same price.... but most get an iPhone or a galaxy, hence doa.
Sure and because the company responsible for building pixel phones is scaling back its android operations due to lack of orders and losing money, a lot of money, almost a billion lost, so they are pivoting.
“Foxconn shrinks Android arm and relocates staff as orders dry up”
«FIH does not have as many smartphone orders as it used to have," said one person with direct knowledge of the plan. "It used to be one team serving three to four Android-smartphone clients... Now it is three to four teams serving one client."
An industry source familiar with the company's situation described its Android-phone manufacturing business as "miserable."
FIH counts Google, China's Xiaomi, Lenovo Group, Nokia, Sharp, and the little known Chinese firms Gionee, Smartisan and Meizu among its clients. Only Google's contract is profitable for FIH, senior sources said. Last year FIH Mobile recorded a net loss of $857 million - the largest since listing in Hong Kong in 2005 and its second consecutive year in the red.»
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/T...roid-arm-and-relocates-staff-as-orders-dry-up
Prices are already $300 if you count the rebates best buy and other stores are giving, and pretty much $100 if you go through tmobile.
As a $300-400 device it is justifiable albeit questionable when you can get a used iphone 7 plus or iphone 8 for that price, but as a $100 device I think we can both agree it's a no brainer.
Now, is this phone better than an iphone 7 plus? It depends what you want, do you like customization, how often do you use your camera, do you prefer a lighter phone (the iphone is significantly heavier), do you think android has caught up to iOS, etc).