iPhone X I think it's finally time we stop being used as sheep

[Azathoth123]

Love my XS, great dynamic range on the camera, faster, smoother, will support more features going forward.

If you need cheaper options there’s the 7 and the 8 is great. You can still get a 6 and 6s (6 for $99 recently at Smart Talk)

 

[Hanson Eigilson]

We all know Apple has been becoming progressively greedier and greedier and many people have been ok with that, but this year i think it's time that we say stop.

$999 for a phone that has literally not a single new feature besides slight improvements in water resistance and some "bokeh" crap that could literally be added as a software update. The a12 has only a 5-10% increase in performance cpu based on slides and the gpu upgrade won't be noticeable for at least the next 2 years.

the Xr could have been a success but it ended up too expensive considering it's a single camera with removed features like 3d touch. and what's with that disgusting bezel that looks worse than the iphone 8's bezel??

Maybe it's time to skip a generation and tell them that we're not gonna put up with being milked this easily?

I get where you are coming from, but I don't really agree.
For me the issue is not so much the price as such, it is that it's priced and marketed as a premium item, even while service deteriorates:
1) IOS bugs are much too common considering how few features and devices it supports.
2) the interface have little premium feel, much of it is disorganised or useless.
3) It's presented as stylish, yet there is that giant unibrow staring you in the face.
4) Ecosystem makes it unappealing to design full featured app's
5) Siri pretends like she is a playful person, it's creepy and poor style, "her" jokes are almost as sad as her capabilities
6) Apple locks down important features, and it's hard to not suspect if it's to lock people into their ecosystem, at the cost of usability with Apple as the sole beneficiary, again it's creepy and substandard.
7) they pretend to be socially responsible, yet go to extreme lengths to pay no tax, it's sad and seems disingenuous.

They have trouble appealing to the tech crowd because of stunted iPhone features, trouble with the style conscious because of the iPhone unibrow and on and on, seems like the only demographics that really won't swap is people too old to change and people with some degree of cognitive challenges which makes it hard for them to deal with anything beyond a very gimped Fischer-Price OS.

We didn't leave Apple, as much as Apple left us.

 

[LovingTeddy]

Love my XS, great dynamic range on the camera, faster, smoother, will support more features going forward.

If you need cheaper options there’s the 7 and the 8 is great. You can still get a 6 and 6s (6 for $99 recently at Smart Talk)

Apple is not going to throw new key selling features to you on your old iPhones. One of the key features with XS and XR is video are recorded in stereo. Because apparently iPhone has 4 microphones. So Apple decided to add this feature only on iPhone XS and XR.

But you know what? iPhone has 4 microphones since iPhone 6S. Also you know what? Apple is not adding this feature to old iPhones, not even last year iPhone X.

If you think Apple is going to adding new fancy features to your XS going forward, then good lucky. I do not trust Apple at all.

And by the way, these cheap iPhone 6 or 6S you metioned are locked with Smart Talk. It is uncommon a discounted service provider will sell iPhone at extreme low price point. However, these phone are locked and good luck to get these unlocked.

 

[I7guy]

Apple is not going to throw new key selling features to you on your old iPhones. One of the key features with XS and XR is video are recorded in stereo. Because apparently iPhone has 4 microphones. So Apple decided to add this feature only on iPhone XS and XR.

But you know what? iPhone has 4 microphones since iPhone 6S. Also you know what? Apple is not adding this feature to old iPhones, not even last year iPhone X.

If you think Apple is going to adding new fancy features to your XS going forward, then good lucky. I do not trust Apple at all.

I know you or some other gonna talk crap about Android. What I can tell this: at least some Android manufacturers will add new features available on newer phone to older devices. Take Huawei’s GPU Turbo, which will boost phone’s graphic performance. Huawei added this particular feature to their older devices as well.

A question, do you know for a fact they way the 6s was engineered and the circuits designed allowed stereo video recording. Or are you making some assumptions?

When you buy a car do you think the car manufacturer is going to retrofit the car to make new features available that are available in the following model year?

Is the GPU turbo the best use case you can list of a feature a manufacturer added via a software update?

 

[chinofranche]

Apple aint forcing you to upgrade to begin with. You can still stick with whatever model you have. I just dont get why would you be blaming apple for the choices you’ve made. If you can’t afford it then accept it.

 

[LovingTeddy]

A question, do you know for a fact they way the 6s was engineered and the circuits designed allowed stereo video recording. Or are you making some assumptions?

When you buy a car do you think the car manufacturer is going to retrofit the car to make new features available that are available in the following model year?

Is the GPU turbo the best use case you can list of a feature a manufacturer added via a software update?

GPU Turbo was added via software update. It was introduced with Honor 10. Huawei made available for huge list of phones range from high end P20 Pro to low end Honor 7.

There was no special circuits for iPhone XS or XR for stereo audio video recording. It just Apple choose only XS and XR gets this, because it was new.

For god seek, Apple added optical image stabilization with iPhone 7. If you remembered correctly, only plus model got video stabilization. It wasn’t because plus model has some special things that enabled OIS, it was simply Apple wants people buying higher priced iPhone 6 Plus. When iPhone 7 comes, Apple added dual cameras on Plus model, so iPhone 7 gets OIS, because key differentiator was dual camera now.
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Apple aint forcing you to upgrade to begin with. You can still stick with whatever model you have. I just dont get why would you be blaming apple for the choices you’ve made. If you can’t afford it then accept it.

There you go. Only rich can afford iPhone now. Good lord.

 

[superleakTx]

I enjoy my iPhone 6S right now.

 

[Azathoth123]

Apple is not going to throw new key selling features to you on your old iPhones. One of the key features with XS and XR is video are recorded in stereo. Because apparently iPhone has 4 microphones. So Apple decided to add this feature only on iPhone XS and XR.

But you know what? iPhone has 4 microphones since iPhone 6S. Also you know what? Apple is not adding this feature to old iPhones, not even last year iPhone X.

If you think Apple is going to adding new fancy features to your XS going forward, then good lucky. I do not trust Apple at all.

And by the way, these cheap iPhone 6 or 6S you metioned are locked with Smart Talk. It is uncommon a discounted service provider will sell iPhone at extreme low price point. However, these phone are locked and good luck to get these unlocked.

So Apple offers a new phone with new features at the same price as the last model and that’s bad how?

We also don’t know if the older hardware would support stereo audio in video do we? No conjecture please....

The last part about the 6 for $99 being locked is correct but $99 is cheap for an iPhone. Wouldn’t do it myself though so maybe for a dedicated purpose.

 

[I7guy]

GPU Turbo was added via software update. It was introduced with Honor 10. Huawei made available for huge list of phones range from high end P20 Pro to low end Honor 7.

There was no special circuits for iPhone XS or XR for stereo audio video recording. It just Apple choose only XS and XR gets this, because it was new.

For god seek, Apple added optical image stabilization with iPhone 7. If you remembered correctly, only plus model got video stabilization. It wasn’t because plus model has some special things that enabled OIS, it was simply Apple wants people buying higher priced iPhone 6 Plus. When iPhone 7 comes, Apple added dual cameras on Plus model, so iPhone 7 gets OIS, because key differentiator was dual camera now...

What apple does is no different than other manufacturers in other industries. It adds more tech and charges more for the devices. As a consumer you have to decide whether or not this approach works for you.

What Apple does is not really unique.

 

[LovingTeddy]

So Apple offers a new phone with new features at the same price as the last model and that’s bad how?

We also don’t know if the older hardware would support stereo audio in video do we? No conjecture please....

The last part about the 6 for $99 being locked is correct but $99 is cheap for an iPhone. Wouldn’t do it myself though so maybe for a dedicated purpose.

Stereo audio video recording is enabled because of microphones. There are no special circuits or special thing that only presented in XR or XS. If Apple want, they can push a software update and enable for older devices.

Don’t bet Apple will give you new features with your XS. You only get flashy new features with brand new phone for even higher price tag.
[doublepost=1546917536][/doublepost]

What apple does is no different than other manufacturers in other industries. It adds more tech and charges more for the devices. As a consumer you have to decide whether or not this approach works for you.

What Apple does is not really unique.

Apparently, this new holiday season quarter, Apple sees lesser people upgrade. Worked great for Apple isn’t it

 

[I7guy]

Stereo audio video recording is enabled because of microphones. There are no special circuits or special thing that only presented in XR or XS. If Apple want, they can push a software update and enable for older devices.

This is conjecture, because you couldn't possibly know the circuit design of these phones.

Apparently, this new holiday season quarter, Apple sees lesser people upgrade. Worked great for Apple isn’t it

$84B projected guidance isn't anything to sneeze at. And just for reference:

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...drop-in-fourth-quarter-profits.2164193/unread

 

[LovingTeddy]

This is conjecture, because you couldn't possibly know the circuit design of these phones.


$84B projected guidance isn't anything to sneeze at. And just for reference:

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...drop-in-fourth-quarter-profits.2164193/unread

May I ask you why are you dragging Samsung into? Because it also has profit decline?

I get you think everything t is handy and dandy... nothing is wrong with Apple and it will continue its smooth ride... Well, only time will tell.

 

[I7guy]

May I ask you why are you dragging Samsung into? Because it also has profit decline?

I get you think everything t is handy and dandy... nothing is wrong with Apple and it will continue its smooth ride... Well, only time will tell.

Dragging Samsung in to show that missing quidance is not only an Apple issue. And the conjecture of less people upgrading is just that without taking a look at why Samsung is saying they had a tough quarter also.

 

[Azathoth123]

Stereo audio video recording is enabled because of microphones. There are no special circuits or special thing that only presented in XR or XS. If Apple want, they can push a software update and enable for older devices.

Don’t bet Apple will give you new features with your XS. You only get flashy new features with brand new phone for even higher price tag.
[doublepost=1546917536][/doublepost]

Apparently, this new holiday season quarter, Apple sees lesser people upgrade. Worked great for Apple isn’t it

If it is the identical iOS build, why wouldn’t it be enabled unless the hardware didn’t support it?

On your second point:

https://www.macrumors.com/2019/01/03/tim-cook-memo-on-1q19-revenue-shortfall/

Record Christmas activations.

 

[LovingTeddy]

If it is the identical iOS build, why wouldn’t it be enabled unless the hardware didn’t support it?

On your second point:

https://www.macrumors.com/2019/01/03/tim-cook-memo-on-1q19-revenue-shortfall/

Record Christmas activations.

Yet. Apple still managed to lower its revenue. So what happened?

I don’t know about United States. Holiday deals here in a Canada, majority of iPhones are 0 dollar along with 200 dollar gift cards. Some carrier even give you activiation discount of 300 dollars for iPhones. Carriers are only charging around $15 dollars extra for 2 year contract. Combined this, I am not surprised for lots of activiation.

However, do you really think carriers are just going to take the loss? I believe Apple is giving carrier discount as well.

You can’t explain record activiation and yet slamp in revenue.
[doublepost=1546950671][/doublepost]

Dragging Samsung in to show that missing quidance is not only an Apple issue. And the conjecture of less people upgrading is just that without taking a look at why Samsung is saying they had a tough quarter also.

If you really read Saumsug’s future focus, setup as following:

https://news.samsung.com/global/sam...akes-initiative-to-build-innovation-ecosystem

In this article, Samsung is talking about how its going to invest in future. There is zero mention about smartphones. In fact Samsung has slowly steering away from smartphone business, if you care to take look at recent Samsung offering. You will start see how Samsung is no longer actually pumping our phones like it used to. Galaxys S and Note series has been same for few years now.

Samsung is betting its futures on AI, 5G, memory chips, screens etc. Smartphone is not their top priority anymore.

By the way, Sumsung smartphone business is on declining for while now.

Apple is entirely iPhone centeric, where slump in iPhone sale will hurt Apple’s bottom line. It is up to Apple right now to figure out what to do next. If Apple choose to continue jacking up the price and offer little, iPhone sales will continue slump. Samsung in other hand are pretty much diversed, it has multiple line a of business.

 

[RodDavies]

Maybe you’ll find someone who will join you, but I predict this will be the best selling lineup ever. Pricing never mattered before.

Uh huh. That's why Apple are not reporting numbers anymore I guess. Must be because they're embarrassed by just how many more they're selling...

 

[LovingTeddy]

Uh huh. That's why Apple are not reporting numbers anymore I guess. Must be because they're embarrassed by just how many more they're selling...

Because Apple never shy to disclose sales number when iPhone was all time high.. oh..wait

 

[RodDavies]

Because Apple never shy to disclose sales number when iPhone was all time high.. oh..wait

Methinks you missed my sarcasm. This WAS my point...
[doublepost=1546954907][/doublepost]

Apple is entirely iPhone centeric, where slump in iPhone sale will hurt Apple’s bottom line. It is up to Apple right now to figure out what to do next. If Apple choose to continue jacking up the price and offer little, iPhone sales will continue slump.

Not entirely true. It's services divisions are doing "ok”. And growing. But I suspect they are not growing fast enough, in either units or revenues, to counter the stagnating iPhone (and iPad?) sales, their true cash views. It's a balancing act.

But Apples hardware pricing is now not of a premium nature. It's priced as a Luxury good. And despite what Apple hope/think, Luxury goods are "niche" products. We're not all a Kardashian.

And on Services, I am 100% sure that if Google and Microsoft were not give away so much cloud storage for nothing, Apple would be more than willing to charge a whole lot more for their "plans" than they can get away with now. Likewise, if Spotify wasnt so damn successful, iTunes costs would be higher.

 

[Goompa]

So does everyone has just realized how apple works? Because they have been doing these practices since the first iPhone... Glad we are getting nice alternatives from competition.

But please don’t upset long time Apple users!!! We could be a little bit “mad” from time to time.

 

[sunapple]

Uh huh. That's why Apple are not reporting numbers anymore I guess. Must be because they're embarrassed by just how many more they're selling...

To be fair, my comment was two months before Apple announced that they wouldn't provide sales numbers anymore.

 

[RodDavies]

To be fair, my comment was two months before Apple announced that they wouldn't provide sales numbers anymore.

That is true. Nevertheless you appear to have made a bold prediction that pricing wont matter and that we, the Apple masses, will blithely follow and buy new iPhone's at whatever pricing Apple say we'll pay. That didn't seem to have happened.

A real world, minor example. I got an iPhone xs max ONLY because of a mistake at a local Australian telco. I got one, effectively, for AUD 1080, give or take a few bucks. Rather than the retail price of AUD 2040!!! When I asked my wife if she wanted to move from her iPhone 7+ she said no way would she ever pay AUD $2000 for a phone. One person. How many other opportunities worldwide have Apple given up for having priced these models as Luxury goods, not "merely" premium goods? We'll all pay for quality. But overpay?
[doublepost=1546957622][/doublepost]

Because they have been doing these practices since the first iPhone...

. Pretty sure I recall price reductions in the early days when Apple's pricing was a bit "wrong".

 

[I7guy]

..

If you really read Saumsug’s future focus, setup as following:

https://news.samsung.com/global/sam...akes-initiative-to-build-innovation-ecosystem

In this article, Samsung is talking about how its going to invest in future. There is zero mention about smartphones. In fact Samsung has slowly steering away from smartphone business, if you care to take look at recent Samsung offering. You will start see how Samsung is no longer actually pumping our phones like it used to. Galaxys S and Note series has been same for few years now.

Samsung is betting its futures on AI, 5G, memory chips, screens etc. Smartphone is not their top priority anymore.

By the way, Sumsung smartphone business is on declining for while now.

Apple is entirely iPhone centeric, where slump in iPhone sale will hurt Apple’s bottom line. It is up to Apple right now to figure out what to do next. If Apple choose to continue jacking up the price and offer little, iPhone sales will continue slump. Samsung in other hand are pretty much diversed, it has multiple line a of business.

And yet being diverse is a guarantee of nothing. Just look at General Electric for a prime example of that and that could be Samsung in the future.

You don't really know Apples direction as they a fairly secretive. You seem to be assuming that Cook and Co. are a bunch of amateurs waiting for the steam to fizzle out of the company. Take their bonuses and then hang a for sale on the company.

I can safely say, that is not the case.
[doublepost=1546958083][/doublepost]

Uh huh. That's why Apple are not reporting numbers anymore I guess. Must be because they're embarrassed by just how many more they're selling...

Or maybe they want to be in line with other manufacturers that don't report numbers either. Good for them, it'll make it that much more difficult for the "analysts" who dissect the business.

 

[RodDavies]

You don't really know Apples direction as they a fairly secretive. You seem to be assuming that Cook and Co. are a bunch of amateurs waiting for the steam to fizzle out of the company. Take their bonuses and then hang a for sale on the company.

I can safely say, that is not the case.
[doublepost=1546958083][/doublepost]
Or maybe they want to be in line with other manufacturers that don't report numbers either. Good for them, it'll make it that much more difficult for the "analysts" who dissect the business.

I do not for a second believe Cook and Co to be a bunch of amateurs. I simply do believe THIS time they have badly misjudged the market. And, perhaps, the worth of the premium we're expected to pay for the product.

And yet, yes, they gleefully and gladly quoted their unit sales when they were selling everything they could make.

This is a company that, in Worldwide presentations, also kicks their opponents in public (gee our iOS rate of adoption is at 75% versus those other guys....Yada Yada snigger snigger). And now they want to hide...

 

[I7guy]

I do not for a second believe Cook and Co to be a bunch of amateurs. I simply do believe THIS time they have badly misjudged the market. And, perhaps, the worth of the premium we're expected to pay for the product.

And yet, yes, they gleefully and gladly quoted their unit sales when they were selling everything they could make.

This is a company that, in Worldwide presentations, also kicks their opponents in public (gee our iOS rate of adoption is at 75% versus those other guys....Yada Yada snigger snigger). And now they want to hide...

Apple isn't hiding, they are making it more difficult to dissect how many units of each phone was sold. In prior years, when the product line was differentiated by memory size, it made sense. Now it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense with 8 models being concurrently sold.

(As a former dev) the IOS adoption rate is very important to the developer community who have to spend their time and energy on programming. So Apple should publish those numbers.

As far as what went wrong with their guidance, that is for another thread.

But to those who think they are "being used as sheep", thankfully there is competition.

 

[RodDavies]

Apple isn't hiding, they are making it more difficult to dissect how many units of each phone was sold. In prior years, when the product line was differentiated by memory size, it made sense. Now it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense with 8 models being concurrently sold.

(As a former dev) the IOS adoption rate is very important to the developer community who have to spend their time and energy on programming. So Apple should publish those numbers.

As far as what went wrong with their guidance, that is for another thread.

But to those who think they are "being used as sheep", thankfully there is competition.

.
[doublepost=1546959739][/doublepost]

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Didn't the XR replace the SE? Same number of models now as for the past 4 or so years?