This is what analysts expect to happen in 2018

Jan 3, 2018 10:31 GMT  ·  By

​Analyst estimates are still mixed on the sales performance of Apple’s new iPhone X, and two such rather contradictory notes were released in the first days of 2018.

First of all, it’s CLSA’s Nicolas Baratte, who says that iPhone X is unlikely to experience a major growth this year given that the majority of customers have already purchased the device in late 2017.

“We maintain that 2017 fourth-quarter iPhone X volumes were at 30 to 35 million and we are very skeptical that volumes will increase in the first quarter of 2018. This does not reconcile with the expectation of pent-up demand or push-out to the first quarter of 2018 in our opinion: consumers who wanted to get an iPhone X in December 2017 already have it,” the analyst said in an investor note.

At first glance, such a forecast could raise a few eyebrows given that iPhone X inventory has until now been severely constrained and not all consumers who wanted to buy the device were able to do that last month. iPhone X supply was actually limited from the very beginning due to production struggles, and Apple was expected to address all challenges by the end of the year.

Cheaper iPhone on its way

On the other hand, Piper Jaffray’s Michael Olson says demand for the iPhone X is expected to grow up to the point where APPL could jump from $171 to $200.

One of the reasons for the growth is a cheaper iPhone X, which could be possible either with a price cut for the existing model or a more affordable version launching as part of the 2018 lineup.

“We expect a lower priced X-gen option (likely the current iPhone X with a price cut) and we wouldn’t be surprised to see a ‘plus’ X-gen model in 2018,” Olson explained.

Rumor has it that Apple will launch three different iPhone models this year, one of which would be a successor to the iPhone X and another one as a Plus-sized version with a screen as big as 6.5 inches. A third model with a 6.1-inch LCD panel would serve as a cheaper alternative.