Well regarded industry analysts, KGI Securities, recently released a report informing that iPhone 8 sales figures could be dampened as consumers wait for iPhone X pre-orders to become available.
The report states a large number of potential iPhone buyers are waiting until the iPhone X goes up for pre-order in late October, in lieu of purchasing the readily available iPhone 8.
The jury is still out on whether the iPhone X will birth mammoth sales, sufficient enough to make up for the drop in iPhone 8.
Whilst iPhone 8 pre-orders went live last weekend, data reveals an availability window of 1 – 2 weeks for online orders. As some context, KGI states a new iPhone typically reverts to 3 – 6 week availability once the initial preorder wave is finished.
Reports state, Apple may have anticipated the iPhone X sales could canibalise those of the iPhone 8, as the former includes new impressive tech, whilst the later is heralded more of an ‘S’ upgrade.
In the consumer’s eyes, the iPhone X is also only slightly more expensive, which may see some users viewing the price jump as reasonable.
As an added element, some consumers are said to view the iPhone X (pronounced ‘ten’) as a collector’s piece and a symbol of the ten year anniversary.
To top it off, Apple has marketed the flagship phone as the most expensive device smartphone the Californian company has made to date, and the crown jewel in its current product offering.
Coupled with the factors above, KGI notes that it doesn’t bode well for the device’s eventual availability. Coupled with production issues, analysts state the iPhone X could be hard to come by until 2018.
Analysts are still determining how much of an effect the above factors will have on final sales for both the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, and the overall revenue gifted to Apple from their release.
Interestingly, will the rumours of supply constraints tempt consumers to consider rival flagship devices as Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8?