14 DAY TRIAL // Apple may discontinue the iPhone X and the iPhone SE later this year as the company would go all-in on the new models launching in September.
This is what BlueFin Research Partners analysts John Donovan and Steve Mullane said in a recent note, predicting that sales would be substantially improved for the new-generation models.
Specifically, the analysts explain that the new iPhones, which they call iPhone 9, iPhone 11, and iPhone 11 Plus would replace the existing iPhone X and iPhone SE, as both would be discontinued in the fall. It’s not clear, however, what happens with the iPhone 8 series.
iPhone 8, iPhone SE 2 uncertain
While the names of the iPhones used in this investor note might be a little surprising, iPhone 9 most likely refers to the LCD model coming with a 6.1-inch screen, while the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Plus are the new iPhone X and iPhone X Plus.
“The iPhone 11 Plus should satisfy those unhappy with the iPhone X due to size concerns, while the iPhone 9 device should satisfy more budget-conscious buyers and the aforementioned extension of the iPhone 8 model builds will round out a fairly extensive line-up. We continue to hear that upgrade activity over the past,” they are cited as saying.
The analysts expect the new models to sell in higher numbers than originally predicted, mostly because they would bring more dramatic upgrades as compared to the older generations.
In the last two quarters of the year, Apple is expected to manufacture 91 million units of the new iPhones, followed by another 92 million units in the first two quarters of 2019.
At this point, it’s not yet known if Apple still wants to launch a second-generation iPhone SE, as previous reports indicated that such a model was projected to arrive in the spring of this year.