14 DAY TRIAL // iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are currently the only two 2018 models that can be pre-ordered, as the iPhone XR will hit the shelves in the second half of October.
As the most affordable configuration in the entire lineup, iPhone XR is one highly-anticipated device, despite the differences in terms of hardware versus its more premium siblings.
And according to a report from Digitimes, Apple itself is very optimistic that the iPhone XR will sell well, so the company has recently increased orders to prepare for the late-October launch.
“The shipment momentum for the iPhone XR is expected to continue into early 2019 as the ratio of iPhone XR orders to Apple's total orders of new iPhone devices for December has been revised upward to over 50% recently,” the cited source noted based on information provided by sources familiar with the matter.
The pricing strategy
One of the reasons Apple expects the iPhone XR to sell well is that it’s priced lower than the iPhone XS, despite coming with only small changes in the hardware department.
iPhone XR features an LCD screen instead of OLED, a single camera on the back instead of two, and no longer boasts 3D Touch, Pricing begins at $749 in the United States, whereas the iPhone XS is available .from $999.
Earlier this year, it was estimated that the new cheaper iPhone would be the best-selling model of the entire lineup, though it was initially believed that it would be priced lower, with most analysts expecting a $699 price tag.
However, iPhone XR is still projected to account for as much as 60 percent of all 2018 iPhones, and sales in China could be particularly strong thanks to dual-SIM support. However, at $749 it’s still more expensive than premium Android devices sold in China and offering dual-SIM capabilities, but Apple is betting big on the brand value that could convince more users to switch to iPhones.