iPhone 8 now outsells X, and every other phone

One day Apple may look back on its great iPhone X adventure and view it as an embarrassing midlife crisis, like running off with the au pair. The iPhone 8, based on a four-year-old design, was the best-selling phone in the world in May, according to Counterpoint Research. Samsung's Galaxy S9 Plus took second place. The X still …

[Anonymous Coward]

The 8 does prove a point

A 4.7 inch medium resolution display is enough for an awful lot of people.

As a skinflint who detests the single button I stick with Sony compacts - very similar in format but slightly smaller in relation to screen size. It isn't ideal for everybody but this is a case where I agree Jobs was right. And didn't Eric Schmidt more or less agree with him?

[Voland's right hand]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

Concur,

My last two phones were 5 inch (Aqua M4 and XA1) and I wil gladly go down to 4.7. 5 is too bleeping big and too high risk of damage from bending. Phone in the pocket at the wrong angle and/or the trousers too tight and crack... across the screen. No thanks - if there will be a decent 4.2-4.7 when I change it next time I am getting that instead.

More than 5? Forget it.

[Dave 126]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

I chose an Xperia Z3 Compact due to its pocket friendly size and excellent battery life. When it died through accident I found a Nexus 5 to be light and slim enough not to be a pain in the trouser - though the battery was awful. Still, for a plastic it bounced and survived many drops into concrete - until the day it didn't.

A few years on I use my phone for more tasks than I did then, and I don't find the size of a Galaxy S8 (in a chunky case) that inconvenient. Like the Sony I appreciate the waterproofing. I was tempted by an iPhone 8 for its cameras, but it was just too big - and the S8 considerable cheaper since I bought it a few months before the release of the S9.

[BebopWeBop]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

My iPhone SE is as large as I want a phone to be!

[russsh]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

An all-screen SE (notched if necessary) would be an ideal format for me.

[onefang]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

"Phone in the pocket at the wrong angle and/or the trousers too tight and crack... across the screen."

I could never understand why people choose to sit on their phones. Just asking for trouble.

[NogginTheNog]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

What I hate about having a modern phone is (if you’re a fella/without a handbag) you’re either carrying your phone in your hand, or forever dipping in and out of your back pocket when you sit down, putting your phone on the desk/table. And then every now and then you forget and leave it there...

[eldakka]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

> or forever dipping in and out of your back pocket when you sit down

I've never understood this.

Every pair of pants I've ever owned that had a big enough back pocket for a phone also had a big enough front pocket for anything under phablet size. So I've never put a phone in the back pocket, it's always the front pocket or a coat/jacket pocket.

Admittedly I've never owned a 5.5" or larger phone, as I also own an 8" tablet and if I'm driving or carrying a backpack I'll have the tablet in the car or backpack for when I need a larger screen.

[onefang]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

"Every pair of pants I've ever owned that had a big enough back pocket for a phone also had a big enough front pocket for anything under phablet size."

Ah, I forgot, cargo pants side pockets are quite large, I put my phones in there sometimes.

[onefang]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

You could try putting it in a shirt / jacket pocket, where it will fall out half the time when you bend over, especially bending over to pull your pants up in the dunny. We need a phone flap over shirt pockets.

There's also the option to strap it to your arm.

[Radio Wales]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

>And then every now and then you forget and leave it there...

Surely the most powerful argument for not blowing a grand on one?

[ZillaOfManilla]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

I'm also a fan of the compact Sony's but I deteste the abysmal finger print scanner on the XZ1 compact.

[Ian Joyner]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

Um, the buttons are on the screen.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The 8 does prove a point

Pixel2 non-XL is the daddy of all phones for sale right now, and it's almost a year old.

Nobody wants huge phones and edge to edge displays that miss the ergonomics that you actually need a bezel to hold the thing.

Notches are for bellends (as are iPhones)

[PeeKay]

Never take a first batch product

As has been proven time and again, having the first of a new product always breeds issues and problems. I'm sure there are others (like myself) who steer clear, and let others 'beta test' the new products first.

[Oh Matron!]

Re: Never take a first batch product

I have the same ethos when it comes to beta versions: Under no circumstances should you ever install the first beta of anything.

However, I have to say, I've loved the X. Same screen size as the iPhone 8 plus, same camera, etc, etc, but same size as the iPhone 8. Happy to pay extra to have that convenience.

Also, I've had the phone a few times in the lakes of sweden, doing videos of the fish. You'd have called me mad a couple of years ago, if I'd have suggested that

Yes, I am a bit of a fanboy, but the X has yet to fail me in any way

[BebopWeBop]

Re: Never take a first batch product

I'm glad you are happy. I am (quite possibt) just as happy with my iPhone SE - a manageable size for my activities and acceptable camera performance.

[Charlie Clark]

Re: Never take a first batch product

Also, I've had the phone a few times in the lakes of sweden, doing videos of the fish. You'd have called me mad a couple of years ago, if I'd have suggested that

You're still crazy doing it with such expensive kit when good, reliably waterproof phones that are much cheaper have been around for years. I wouldn't worry so much about dropping the phone in water as such, more about on rocks, or in a muddy bit. But it's your money…

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Never take a first batch product

Unless it's a steak bake.

[Anonymous Coward]

Has nothing to do with "first batch product"

Why would someone pay $999 for the top of the line iPhone when everyone knows that Apple will have improved ones for sale in two months? Not only that, the 5.8" "X+1" phone will sell for less than $999.

My X works great, but I know the new ones this fall will be better. I'm more concerned with what comes out in 2019, that's when I'll probably be in a market for a new one - I want the bigger one (had a 6S plus before I bought the X) but I can wait a year.

[Waseem Alkurdi]

Re: Has nothing to do with "first batch product"

Why would someone pay $999 for the top of the line iPhone

My X works great

Some contradiction? Or is it that you got it via work or something? (tell me where you work! I want one too!)

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Has nothing to do with "first batch product"

Duh, I guess you stopped reading halfway through the sentence - why would someone pay $999 when Apple has a new one coming out in two months.

I bought mine at launch, and if you never bought a phone if you knew there was a better model coming out in a year then you would still be rocking a StarTac.

[Radio Wales]

Re: Has nothing to do with "first batch product"

No idea what a StarTac was (American?)

As a matter of fact, I was an early adapter of smartphones, but I stuck at a level that satisfied what I needed it for,

Consequently, I kept using my HTC Z until it died this year, because I loved the keyboard.

Found a old (New) Samsung J5 and find it a worthy successor - if a little on the large side.

£120 is more than enough for a gadget.

[Daniel B.]

Re: Has nothing to do with "first batch product"

StarTac probably didn't make it to the UK due to it being an analog phone (AMPS/NAMPS) released at a time when the EU had already jumped to GSM.

As for iPhones: I just upgraded from the 5s to a 6s. Why? Because the 6s is the last one that has the jack, and the 7 and 8 are still stupidly expensive at this point. And the X is already a non-starter as it removed the Home button and it has that horrible notch thing. I can cheer for Apple though, thanks to the X any non-X iPhone user is now less prone to being mugged or getting their phone stolen. The X is now the ultimate "mug me, I'm rich!" sign.

Other than that, I find it really dumb to splurge so much money on a smartphone. Especially when it's ugly.

[Anonymous Coward]

It's had its day.

[Anonymous Coward]

@AC It's had its day.

Your not wrong, I started to see lot of people, many of them I would of regarded as fairy hardcore fan boys, just moving away.

In the age of fairly high end, throw away android phones such as the cubots and the likes, it makes very little sense sticking with companies like Apple, who these days are really not offering anything new, if in fact not playing catch up to what other systems are offering, at prices that a frankly redonkulas.

Buying outright a throw away phone and choosing a reasonable contact you are literally saving 1000's, especially over a two year period.

Honestly people who still buy into these "exclusive deals" just so they can have the latest version of the shiny badge need to have their heads looked at.

[JDX]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

Apple haters have been calling it a fad since iPhone 1. There's always someone who sees their mates leaving Apple as a sign of End Times for Apple.

Did you miss the part where Apple sells both the #1 AND #3 most popular phones in the world? Hardly "on the way out" now is it?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

Did you miss the part where Apple sells both the #1 AND #3 most popular phones in the world? Hardly "on the way out" now is it?

No it just proves there are a lot of idiots with more money than they know what to do with..

The hardware side of Apple hasnt really offered anything new in years.

And the software is either offering new fluff or nothing that isnt already available on other platforms.

And buildings full of 100s people where a few years ago were dominated by Apple are now Android/Variant, plus lacklustre reviews after lacklustre reviews after lacklustre reviews is hardly a few of their mates

Even Apple has admitted its sales arent where they expect them, so this is less "Apple Haters" being haters and more "Apple Fanboys" not willing to face what is actually happening.

iPhone8 will eventually be unavailable, the X isnt tickling anyone's nuts and their lines up over the past years is not making anyone excited for the coming years..

[Dave 126]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

I tried my first underwater video today with my S8, but the canal was a bit murky. Still, the slow motion video of my lurcher shaking off the water off after a dip came out very well indeed. (A recent update seems to have cured an issue with the phone dropping frames when capturing slo mo video. Other users report better results if they first drop the screen resolution from [stupid high] to 2220x1080)

[Anonymous Coward]

No it just proves there are a lot of idiots......

Have you been reading the articles on this site about android phones and security?

[itzman]

Re: No it just proves there are a lot of idiots......

nothing on my android phone I am not prepared to have stolen if it happens.

A thief is welcome to my email passwords - they will be changed within minutes. seldom use it to browse - and if the satnav app contains places I have visited - so what? They are mostly shops anyway.

A smartphone is not my main computing device.

Nor do i ever use it for financial transactions.

People who do are..idiots

[werdsmith]

Re: No it just proves there are a lot of idiots......

For the self-obsessed narcissists of this world, people who choose to make different purchasing decisions from them are idiots.

[HamsterNet]

Re: No it just proves there are a lot of idiots......

Don't worry, it only contains your daily routine, where your home is, when you are in and when you are not.

Most likely photos, giving vital information of how wealthy or not you are.

Just because you are not actively using your android phone, doesn't mean it's not keeping a tight eye on ou at all times.

[HamsterNet]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

Maybe some people just value all the personal data a phone generates, staying private.

But if you happy paying Google to sell all your data then stay with your droid.

[Kevin McMurtrie]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

iPhone 1 was never a fad. Apple helped take the control of phone features away from cell carriers. That was radical, it was amazing, and it made the world a better place. Cell carriers used to charge an extra fee for each phone feature. Texting, email, internet, ringtones, games, and even playing local music files cost extra. Essentially, all of the apps and menus vanished as soon as there was a SIM card.

The fad discussion is about Apple promoting form over function. Form is important but going too long in that direction dead-ends in a hurry.

[NogginTheNog]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

I think Apple phones are like IBM computers used to be years ago. You may not get the absolute cutting edge, you’ll pay through the nose for it, but you’ll get something that you know works well (enough) with pretty much anything you want to do with it, and will last.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

>I think Apple phones are like IBM computers used to be years ago.

I understand that analogy. Back in the '80's I once owned a IBM 486DX on that basis, it cost me £2k for the box alone.

Then as the months went by, I discovered it was built of ever-so-slightly non-standard parts, so if I wanted to upgrade anything I either had to pay IBM's premium prices or start again because nothing would fit or work with it.

I stupidly put up with this for a while, before I decided to junk it and build my own from standard parts.

It cost me to make the break, but I have enjoyed cutting-edge computing ever since for a fraction of what IBM took me for and turned into a computer-literate nerd to boot.

That switched me on to the idea of modular smartphones and - for me - the rest in history.

[Joe Gurman]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

You may well be right. As things get commoditized, why should people pay premium prices? I don't know; maybe someone at Rolex, Mercedes, BMW, and lottos yachtmakers could answer that question. It doesn't change the fact that no one is making money (indeed they're all losing buckets of it) selling downscale smartphones. The only profit is in the high-end kit.

But I would suggest the Mr. Orlowski has perhaps let his stomp-on-Apple zeal carry him away a little this time. Read this article about the Counterpoint release: https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/07/05/apples-cheaper-iphones-are-not-the-volume-sellers-pundits-predicted-iphone-8-x-are , admittedly from a true fanboi site, and decide for yourself what the news is here. The way I read it, ignoring how various models (and their putative margins) are ranked, Apple sells 50% more high-end (read: profitable) smartphones than Samsung, who in turn sell twice as many as Xiaomi, while BKK and Huawei battle it out for the rest of the profitable part of the market.

While there are rumors that Xiaomi has had some profitable quarters, pretty much no one but the fruit company and Samsung are making money selling smartphones, integrated over all price points they offer. Other companies may be using downscale models as loss leaders, hoping to grab market share and then raise the price of entry in classic capitalist style (way to go, People's Republic). But those two firms have already gotten there. Maybe that's the news?

[JohnFen]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

"maybe someone at Rolex, Mercedes, BMW, and lottos yachtmakers could answer that question"

I can answer that question -- there are plenty of people with more money than sense. They're not the majority of people, but it's a large enough population to sustain a company or two.

[Rimmsy]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

I feel that the 'buy now, pay later' contracts create a disconnect between the user and the true cost of these devices. After all it's only £x per month for 2 years or more and if you want the latest phone every year we can do that too. So many are tied into these contracts and have no idea of the true cost.

How often do you see the actual cost of cars, phones etc? Most high cost items are only quoted in ads as £x per month.

[JLV]

caveat emptor

On pricing my SE (which I ended up picking up cheap on Craigslist), it turned out

$x contract phone cost + $y * 24 months = about $100 less than buying myself. Makes sense, volume pricing and all. Reasonable.

Except, small print, hardly mentioned, gone is the carrier's $5/month discount for BYOD.

Not only for 24 months, which would make contract about the same. Forever.

[Truckle The Uncivil]

Being a smug Aussie

I would point out that here, the full costs must be shown on the contract. So must penalties for buying out the contract. Without full disclosure the agreement/contract is invalid.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

You do have a point about high end goods.

But how many high end goods can you think of are built in China?

And the comparison is more like high end electronic devices, remember JVC, Panasonic, they are still around but they are not the players they used to be, its Samsung and LG.

Nobody crows about their state of the art electronic kit from the 70s (outside hardcore anorak's)

[Mike Moyle]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

"Buying outright a throw away phone and choosing a reasonable contact you are literally saving 1000's, especially over a two year period."

True enough, if you're into "throw-away".

OTOH, if you plan to trade in or resell an older high-end phone, Apples still tend to hold their value better, reducing the cost of your new phone by, potentially, a few hundred [MonetaryUnits].

https://www.cnet.com/news/when-it-comes-to-trade-ins-iphones-are-a-safe-bet/

[JohnFen]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

"OTOH, if you plan to trade in or resell an older high-end phone"

I'm in between those two stances. I couldn't care less about resale value, but I care very much that my phone will last more than five years, so I don't want a "disposable".

[Charlie Clark]

Re: @AC It's had its day.

OTOH, if you plan to trade in or resell an older high-end phone…

Strange decision when buying something to use. FWIW this is indicative of the kind of flawed logic we all use to buy more expensive items (including houses). Just because an object retains its value better does not make economic sense; as with cars, the real winners are those who buy second-hand.

[Anonymous Coward]

3 years ago was when iPhone started sucking, but users are so locked in, they have no choice to stay.

Very smart of apple, they worked out early on how to lock in idiots with more money than sense.

[Anonymous Coward]

worked out early on how to lock in idiots

I bought my IPhone4 back in 2010?2011? So, idiot that I am, they locked me in for the past 7 or 8 years.

Might be time to get a new phone now, though. The iPhone 8 sounds like it fits the bill.

[Steve Todd]

So, the regular run of the mill iPhone 8 ...

Sells better than the premium, much more expensive iPhone X (which is ONLY the third best selling phone in the world), and this proves that Apple have got things badly wrong?

BMW should stop selling the 7 series because they sell more 5s and 3s using that logic. This can only be an Orlowski rant given the level of thought involved.

(No, I don’t own an iPhone X BTW)

[Persona]

Re: So, the regular run fof the mill iPhone 8 ...

Careful. ElReg's forum rules can trigger all your posts to be moderated or deleted if you make disparaging remarks about their reporters..... And especially their Executive Editor.

[sabroni]

Re: BMW should stop selling the 7 series because they sell more 5s and 3s using that logic.

Not really the same thing is it. They didn't come out with the 7 as a replacement for the 5.

For your comparison to work BMW would have to be currently producing two models of the 7, one from 2 years ago and one newer, slightly bigger more expensive one. If that was the case, and customers preferred the 2 year old model to the current one, they you'd be bang on the money!

It's not the case though is it. Apple released the X to replace the 8, but customers prefer the 8. That's all this story is saying.

[Steve Todd]

Re: BMW should stop selling the 7 series because they sell more 5s and 3s using that logic.

@sabroni - The styling of a BMW doesn't physically change much between years either. The 8 has significant technical improvements over the 7 (faster CPU, faster LTE, bigger flash memory etc). The 7 remains in production, and has been bumped down in the range.

The X was never intended to replace the 7, it was a new high end model, just like BMW added the 9 series above the 7 series.

[D@v3]

Re: Apple released the X to replace the 8

No, Apple released the 8, to replace the 7.

The X, was released (originally) as a limited run, special edition anniversary device, to celebrate 10 (X) years of iPhone. (At the same time as the 8)

As i read it,( in articles when both devices were released), the X was never expected to be the better selling device.

[Radio Wales]

Re: Apple released the X to replace the 8

>The X, was released (originally) as a limited run, special edition anniversary device, to celebrate 10 (X) years of iPhone.

Really? and it had nothing to do with the gnawing irritation of Microsoft jumping from 8 to 10 (X) to match iOS X? (Yeah, I heard about the 98 excuse)

Of course not! They wouldn't be so shallow - would they?

But anyone shelling out a grand (XxXxX) to flash it about just might be...

So it's going to be all puff until they can justify 20 (XX) I suppose? But we'll all have implants by then - so to be a proud Apple used you'll need a tattoo. Then you'll be Apple for life.

[Charlie Clark]

Re: So, the regular run of the mill iPhone 8 ...

Apple have got things badly wrong?

Of course it doesn't. The devil is in the detail which is sort of missing from the report. Apple still sells lots of phones with nice fat margins and makes juicy profits as a result. But it does make mistakes in the product mix (the coloured ones spring to mind) and the X has led to fewer sales than some anticipated for a "super cycle", but where it finally admitted that Samsung has the better display (OLED), charging (wireless) and case technology (waterproof). The X isn't a disaster but that it's the first time that the flagship model has failed to sell more than the "me-too" version. It's also not the viblen version that is designed to be so expensive that only a few people will buy it.

Apple has a large and very loyal base. It also has many customers who feel they cannot leave because of their investment in apps and, particularly in music. But it would be a mistake for them to think that they can rely on this. The market is moving on from phone features to services. Apple is well-placed here because of its large and loyal base, but is losing to Spotify and needs to counter Netflix quickly. Once consumers become more interested in the services and know that they can switch manufacturers then Apple will indeed have a fight on its hands. But, no, this is not yet another prophecy of their doom.

[AMBxx]

Surely just mid-range outsells top of the range?

Is this like BMW complaining that they sell more 1 Series than 9 Series?

[David Kelly 2]

Re: Surely just mid-range outsells top of the range?

Ditto! Is right and proper for Apple to flesh out their offerings with an expensive model that doesn't sell as well as the less expensive. Else the opportunity for profit is missed. The opportunity to serve a market is missed. The opportunity to learn what works and what doesn't.

[Wibble]

X is OK, definitely not fantastic

Some nice features on the X: great screen, larger format. But it sucks in so many ways with that facial recognition being a royal pain in the arse and a lack of a button means holding the damn phone in two hands.

So a lot of 'meh' with that X somewhat devalues it's worth.

Hardly surprising that the 8's more popular

[onefang]

Re: X is OK, definitely not fantastic

Someone has to say it...

"facial recognition being a royal pain in the arse"

You are holding it wrong, try holding it to your face instead of your arse.

"lack of a button means holding the damn phone in two hands"

You are ho... OK flogged that joke to death by now.

[rg287]

I'm amazed they've sold as many as they have.

I didn't view the X as a phone that was supposed to be bought. I viewed it as a tech demo - sure they'd sell some, but like an FIA Homologation Special, it primarily existed to be cooed over in the showroom.

A £1000 phone is only attractive to the biggest of fanboys, fashionistas with more money than sense and anyone who has somehow convinced their company to give them one as a work phone.

I'll be on the lookout for the SE2 for <£500, unless they screw the pooch on that as well.

[JDX]

And?

I don't think anyone, even Apple, would expect their more expensive, premium version to outsell the regular version. They launched the 8 for regular users and the X for rich users.

You might as well complain the iPad Pro undersells the iPad, as an indication it's a failure.

[BebopWeBop]

Re: And?

They launched the 8 for regular users and the X for rich users.

They launched the 8 for rich users and the X for even richer users.

TFTFY

[Joe Gurman]

Re: And?

I tend to agree, or I would, if people all around me in one of the more down-market areas in the 'burbs here weren't walking around (and, sadly, driving around) with their noses stuck next to those beautiful OLED screens, notches and all. When you pay (at essentially zero interest) over two years, a thousand simoleons is just over US$40 a month. Divide that by the 8 hours or so a day most of the locals appear to spend with bowed head, and they're really bot spending very much. And who knows, perhaps all the facial stitching you do for animojis is good for you health somehow. Somehow.

Maybe those clever capitalists in Cupertino have figured out that at that rate of financial pain, punters really do think they can afford a little high-end bling in their lives. Ya think?

[gnasher729]

Re: And?

"They launched the 8 for rich users and the X for even richer users."

You don't have to be rich to buy an iPhone X. You just have to have priorities. The next time you buy a car, you can easily buy a slightly cheaper car and an iPhone X for the same money as a slightly more expensive car.

[werdsmith]

Re: And?

You can also move your iPhone X on for good money when you are done with it.

[Anonymous Coward]

making money

"The rumour mill suggests Apple is being sensible rather than stubborn, with with multicoloured 6.1-inch models that retain the design of the X – but most likely shun expensive OLED display panels in favour of cheaper LCD panels – for $700."

Lots of phones with nice OLED screens selling for less than £700 - let alone £1,000.

I still don't get how having such a comically overpriced phone and it being "only" the 3rd best selling smartphone on the planet is some kind of failure. Apple have done exactly what they wanted to - got tens of millions of people to pay an extra £300 each who would otherwise have been perfectly happy with an iphone 8.

[ratfox]

Luxury vs volume

The iPhone X is a super expensive luxury item people buy to show how much money they have. It is not surprising it is not the best-selling item; but that doesn't make it a failure.

[gnasher729]

Re: Luxury vs volume

It's not really a luxury item. It's the best phone that Apple ever sold. It's just very expensive, and the second best phone they ever sold is a lot less expensive and good enough for a lot of people.

[WolfFan]

damn, boy, I wanna fail that hard

It has sold how many million examples at One Thousand GBP each? Hmm. https://www.cultofmac.com/546051/iphone-x-50-million/ Let's see... that's 50 billion folding currency units in Apple's hot little hands. Can I please, please, please fail that badly, just once in my life? Please? I'd like to see what a pile of Fifty Billion Dollars, or, better yet, Pounds, or even Dollars mixed with Pounds, looks like. Even if Cult of Mac's numbers are off (they are a fanboi site, after all) and Apple only sold 20% of that, that's still 10 Million Phones, or $10 Billion. I'd like to fail that hard. I really would.

[Giles Jones]

Yeah but Apple got back an important thing for them. Exclusivity, less people owning the premium model is how it is supposed to work. There was a time when their stuff was a little cooler, but now you see even school kids with iPhones.

[Anonymous Coward]

Fewer

[Anonymous Coward]

"although most owners would gladly sacrifice a couple of millimetres for a longer lasting battery"

Maybe that applies to the smaller model. On my 8 Plus, battery life is one of the few things I _don't_ have complaints about.

[telecine]

We’ve been here before

The release of the Xphone reminded me strongly of the release of the dreadful 20th anniversary Mac. Basically a lower end Mac dolled up to be more futuristic, but basically nothing new. A symbol of a company that had totally lost its way (Gil Amelio was boss at the time).

Steve Jobs returned, released the iMac and stopped the rot ...

Unfortunately he’s dead .

Major achievements for our current bespectacled boss are...

1. Removing headphone jack . ( a truly idodic decision).

2. Totally turning back on pro market ( though this was decided a decade ago ).

3. Making money ( very good at that).

[Rainer]

I liked the form-factor and haptics of the iPhone X, compared to any other iPhone.

I still have the 4S. Will look into the SE successor.

I tried all of non-SE, non-X iPhones in the store and they seemed too "light" and a bit flimsy.

The all-glass iPhone X - while easily shattering when it does fall down - had a certain weight that made it comfortable to hold and yet wasn't as huge as the 8+.

So, it's either last year's X or an updated SE.

Whatever you say about the price, the X is a remarkable piece of technology.

[StuntMisanthrope]

Peak phone. Matterhorn.

It's a bit like the desktop and productivity software. Unless you're being silly even a cheap android, does virtually everything. Now if your listening. That's one clue. If you're computing. That's another. Porn, even your mum. I want zoom and focus. #giveusachoice #andabigfuckingsolarpanel #youneverknowacleverboysandgirlsbetahardwaretestprogram

[StuntMisanthrope]

Re: Peak phone. Matterhorn.

Can't spell after lunch. #pedant

[OffBeatMammal]

While I like the iPhone/iPad hardware, I stick with Android (currently a Pixel2) because the limitations of the OS are enough to make me resent paying the Apple tax. If Apple were to address some of the issues then I might become an 8 customer, but the X seems like a crazy price to pay for not much extra

https://medium.com/@offbeatmammal/apple-are-a-design-company-so-why-is-ios-so-annoying-d40530dce8d9

[werdsmith]

While I like the iPhone/iPad hardware, I stick with Android (currently a Pixel2) because the limitations of the OS are enough to make me resent paying the Apple tax

Interesting how these things work out. It is my total dislike for Android that forces me to use the only other real choice of iOS even though I am not keen on Apple or iPhones. However, it is never necessary to pay the Apple tax, astute iPhone purchases do actually work out cheaper pound for pound.

[AK565]

Size matters. Weight, too.

While I prefer an SE-sized phone, that requires carrying 2 devices and the requisite paraphernalia. That gets heavy when you're a freelancer who walks ~5 miles/day. All of my colleagues who have a 6,7,8+ have been able to ditch the tablet they were using for client paperwork.

Even my Android fanboi friends admit each iteration requires more tweaking than the one before. The thing is, some of us don't get to choose how much time and energy we can spend learning a new system. The software has to "just work" from the get go, even at the price of living in a walled garden.

[deltamind]

To me it seems that even the 5S can outsell the x, the x is a big mistake. Steve we miss you.

[brownejp]

Component glut not necessarily somebody elses problem

The manufacturing cycle times on semiconductors can be pretty long and also due to the cyclic nature of the phone sales market, semiconductor companies need to build ahead to smooth their manufacturing operations. They would be building components to Apples Long term forecasts.

While some of these companies are going to be left with millions of devices in inventory they may not be able to get rid of, it definitely becomes Apples problem.

If Apples LTF is not believable and they leave their suppliers carrying millions of dollars of inventory that they can't use, they may not be too inclined to believe Apples future LTFs. Which is Apples problem.