14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has started taking pre-orders for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, but surprisingly, this year’s generation hasn’t experienced the same success in the first minutes of availability.
Or at least, this is what we can assume given that for the first time in many years, neither the standard iPhone nor the Plus-sized sibling was sold out within the first 30 minutes after the pre-order program kicked off earlier today.
Obviously, there could be different reasons why this didn’t happen, and one of them could be a large supply of new-generation iPhones. Apple expected a high volume of orders from customers in the United States, so the original stock was enough to deal with all purchases without increasing waiting times.
But on the other hand, there could be a different side of the story. What if the iPhone XS and the XS Max aren’t actually as appealing as Apple expected them to be? And what if many potential buyers delayed their purchase and decided to wait for the next generation?
In the last few days, mostly after the September 12 event, I’ve seen many people, and when I say many I really mean it, claiming they won’t be getting an iPhone this year. Some of them were big Apple fans who upgraded to every new iPhone model during the pre-order program, but for some reason, they decided to skip the 2018 series.
And when I asked them what’s the reason for not getting an iPhone this time, the answer was exactly what I imagined: it’s way too expensive.
And truth be told, they are perfectly right. As I said in my article titled “Three Reasons I Won’t Get an iPhone XS,” Apple makes iPhones more and more expensive with each new release, and if the same trend is maintained, there’s a good chance that sooner or later, the $2,000 threshold would be reached.
Last year when the iPhone X was released with a $999 starting price tag, many predicted a significant failure, once again because the device was considered to be too expensive. This didn’t happen, and the iPhone X eventually turned out to be quite a hit, proving that Apple can sell nearly anything regardless of the price.
This could be a reason why Apple made these new models even more expensive. Despite rumors that iPhone XS would be more affordable than its successor, the base model still costs $999, and with a new 512GB version introduced, it reaches a new level.
iPhone XS Max is the one that’s breaking the record, with the 512GB version sold for $1,449 in the United States. The Plus-sized iPhone XS is even more expensive in Europe, like in Germany, where the top-of-the-range configuration costs no more, no less than 1,649 Euros. At today’s currency rates, though they are not entirely relevant, this means $1,927.
What’s even worse is that buying a 2018 iPhone doesn’t just come down to the smartphone itself. You also need a case, a fast charger – which Apple hasn’t even included in the box, despite the price – and possibly a Lightning to 3.5mm audio adapter – which has until now been offered with every new iPhone, but this is no longer the case of the latest generation.
With Apple Care and all the other extras, the iPhone XS Max easily approaches the said $2,000 price target, which truly makes it the most expensive iPhone in history.
Sure, Apple thinks otherwise and says that its iPhone XS is worth every cent, but just by looking at these estimates it becomes very clear that this is one super-expensive smartphone.
But what do you think? Is the iPhone XS too expensive or not? Have you pre-ordered the device today, are you staying with your current iPhone or are you totally committed to the Android world?
Let us know what you think in the comment box below.