14 DAY TRIAL // Apple started receiving pre-orders for the new-generation iPhone on Friday, but as we reported that day, demand for these devices appeared to be slower than anticipated, with all models still in stock after 30 minutes.
This is something totally unexpected for a new iPhone generation, and now top-rated Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo acknowledges that preorders have so far been “lackluster.”
In an investor note obtained by 9to5mac, Kuo reveals that iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR are both likely to benefit from higher sales, emphasizing that the 5.8-inch iPhone XS is the one recording weaker demand.
iPhone XR, the most affordable model in the entire lineup, will hit the market in late October, and it is projected to be the configuration spearheading sales of the 2018 iPhone generation. Kuo says it should account for up to 60 percent of all new iPhone sales, estimating that total shipments could reach 80 million units by the end of the year, a slight improvement from the previous year.
Apple Watch Series 4 sales
iPhone XR pricing starts at $749, but the device comes with a single-lens camera, doesn’t feature 3D Touch, and is equipped with an LCD screen, whereas the more expensive models use OLED.
And while the new iPhones perform relatively below expectations in the top markets, not the same thing can be said about China, where demand continues to be strong. The gold version and the dual-SIM feature are the main catalysts of bigger sales, and the analyst says some 30 percent of the customers are expected to pick the Max version.
Apple Watch Series 4 experiences terrify success, mostly thanks to ECG support, and shipments of the entire lineup could reach 18 million this year.
However, the analyst emphasizes that bigger sales are expected should Apple reach regulatory approval for ECG in other larger markets besides the United States.