iPhone owners aren't upgrading to iPhone X due to price, lack of exciting features, survey...

Posted:
in iPhone edited March 2018
A recent survey conducted by Piper Jaffray suggests many existing iPhone owners are resisting the urge to upgrade to iPhone X because the latest and greatest model does not present enough of a benefit to overcome its high price tag.




In a research note, Piper Jaffray's Michael Olson asked a group of 1,500 iPhone owners a single question that cuts to the core of Apple's iPhone X sales performance, a handset many industry insiders expected to shatter sales records, Apple 3.0 reports.

"You currently own an iPhone yet you didn't upgrade to (what Apple believes is) the best Apple phone yet, the iPhone X. Why?" the survey asked.

An overwhelming majority of answers pertained to cost. For example, 44 percent of respondents said they have yet to upgrade because "my iPhone works fine," a reply that implies iPhone X either lacks "must have" features or asks too much for the functions it does offer. To the point, 31 percent said the handset is simply "too expensive."

Another 8 percent said they prefer a screen size larger than iPhone X's 5.8-inch display, while 17 percent did not upgrade for "other reasons."

While Apple logged its best quarter ever during the three-month period ending in December, with revenue of $88.3 billion, iPhone sales dropped 1.2 percent year-over-year. At least partly to blame was an extended first fiscal quarter in 2017, which ran one week longer than the recently ended period, and a later than normal launch for iPhone X.

Subsequent reports claim Apple is cutting iPhone X production on slower than expected demand, though such assertions from supply chain sources smack more of speculation than fact.

For its part, Apple CEO Tim Cook during a quarterly earnings conference call last month said iPhone X has been Apple's top-selling iPhone every week since it shipped in November. Still, overall unit sales failed to impress Wall Street.

Though iPhone X raised iPhone's average selling price to a record-setting $796.42, the device did not fuel the "super cycle" some analysts predicted.

Looking ahead, Apple is rumored to be working on a series of three handset releases this fall highlighted by an updated iPhone X and a jumbo-sized 6.5-inch X-series handset. A low-cost LCD model with X-series features, like Face ID and a full-face display, is also anticipated.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the purported next-gen iPhone lineup ticks most of the boxes alluded to in Piper Jaffray's survey. Customers who shied away from upgrading will be offered both an affordable handset solution and a larger screened model, though the latter will undoubtedly come with flagship pricing.

All new models are expected to build on cutting edge hardware introduced with iPhone X, namely the TrueDepth camera system.

In light of this year's rumors, Piper Jaffray maintains its iPhone sales estimate of 233.8 million units for fiscal 2019, a figure that comes in about 7 million units, or 3 percent, above consensus.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 91
    magman1979magman1979 Posts: 1,292member
    Oh look, another bullshit Wall Scum anal-yst firm puts out another BS report citing lack of interest in iPhone X because of price, yet it was the hottest phone on the planet, and still is, and I'm seeing it show up ALL over the place, even on public transit, where normally all you see is junker Androids...
    aegeanStrangeDaysAnilu_777lamboaudi4baconstangracerhomie3dedgeckoAvieshekanantksundaramjony0
  • Reply 2 of 91
    aegeanaegean Posts: 164member
    Nothing but utter BS.
    magman1979baconstangmavemufcanantksundaramwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 91
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,844member
    cool story bros. 
    cornchipfastasleepdedgeckodhawkins541anantksundaramwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 91
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    Most surveys say that the average consumer upgrades when their old phone breaks or stop working so it’s not surprising that users who have perfectly good phones haven’t upgraded. I wish they asked which iPhone people currently have.   I have both an iPhone 7+ and iPhone 8+ both of which have great cameras so I see little reason to upgrade in the next year.  
    Talking pooh is too much a gimmick-  Apple needs to focus their software development on something useful -  how about a Siri that works as good on the phone as on the HomePod.
    Anilu_777muthuk_vanalingamMplsPschlacktokyojimudysamoria
  • Reply 5 of 91
    cornchipcornchip Posts: 1,945member
    I would if I could. I can’t even really justify upgrading to a 6s right now.
  • Reply 6 of 91
    Camera. I bought without thinking.
    magman1979king editor the gratewatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 91
    KuyangkohKuyangkoh Posts: 838member
    Always bought a new one whenever new model comes, dont care about the price....
    Anilu_777supadav03magman1979SnickersMagoowatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 91
    KuyangkohKuyangkoh Posts: 838member
    If you can’t afford being in Apple dna, might as well stick w Andoids, fellah
    magman1979dedgeckowatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 91
    djames4242djames4242 Posts: 651member
    My experience mirrors that of this survey, although like K2kw says, they really should break it down by how old those existing phones are. I held on to my 5S for three years before buying the 7. I held on to my 4 for three years before that. My 7 is an extremely capable phone, and my fingerprint works just fine. The X has a gorgeous screen that I drool over, but I just can't pay $1150 right now to get a gorgeous screen.

    If carriers still subsidized I might upgrade every two years, but now that we're stuck with the full cost of the phone, it's just too difficult to justify the expense. I even keep my computers longer than most - My MacBook Pro is an early 2011 and probably won't be upgraded until next year. My Mac Mini is mid-2011 and is finally being replaced in the next month or two with an iMac, and that's only because I need a quad-core for running multiple VMs.
    edited March 2018 muthuk_vanalingamdecoderingschlacktokyojimu
  • Reply 10 of 91
    This is cutting edge research.  How amazing to learn that people who didn't buy something thought that the product in question wasn't worth as much (to them) to justify the price.  Stay tuned for the next study suggesting that people pick restaurants based on what type of food they feel like eating.
    Anilu_777magman1979radarthekatgilly33baconstangflashfan207SnickersMagoo2old4funking editor the gratejony0
  • Reply 11 of 91
    larryjwlarryjw Posts: 1,031member
    I went to the iPhoneX as part of Apple’s yearly upgrade process. So, it seems, the cost reason shouldn’t be the issue. 
    magman1979watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 91
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    How does that compare to previous iPhones? What were their current iPhone?

    I upgraded to the 8 then I saw the X and wished I waited. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 91
    Anilu_777Anilu_777 Posts: 521member
    I thought long and hard before upgrading from the 6S Plus. With all the rumours I was set on the X. But when I realized that it was the same physical size as the 6/7, I backed off. I have had large phones for years and need the size. I got the 8 Plus instead and I’m very happy with it. 
    macplusplusdedgecko
  • Reply 14 of 91
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,311member
    This is cutting edge research.  How amazing to learn that people who didn't buy something thought that the product in question wasn't worth as much (to them) to justify the price.  Stay tuned for the next study suggesting that people pick restaurants based on what type of food they feel like eating.
    I had difficulty understanding the "poll of 40% who didn't upgrade", implying 60% of iPhones users did upgrade, which is clearly not the case.

    This story is a great example of "word salad".
    edited March 2018 randominternetpersonradarthekatgilly33baconstangStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 91
    My experience mirrors that of this survey, although like K2kw says, they really should break it down by how old those existing phones are. I held on to my 5S for three years before buying the 7. I held on to my 4 for three years before that. My 7 is an extremely capable phone, and my fingerprint works just fine. The X has a gorgeous screen that I drool over, but I just can't pay $1150 right now to get a gorgeous screen.

    If carriers still subsidized I might upgrade every two years, but now that we're stuck with the full cost of the phone, it's just too difficult to justify the expense. I even keep my computers longer than most - My MacBook Pro is an early 2011 and probably won't be upgraded until next year. My Mac Mini is mid-2011 and is finally being replaced in the next month or two with an iMac, and that's only because I need a quad-core for running multiple VMs.
    agree 100% ... I bought the 8 after getting $175 for my 6plus. couldn't justify the extra$ for AppleCare and the price was just too much for me. I keep my phones now for three years too and while the 8 is basically a perfect phone for me the X would have been nice. Also have early 2011 MacBook Pro 17 and after putting in 1tb sad (Samsung SSD 850 PRO 1TB) it's like a brand new computer ... hopefully won't have to buy a new one for awhile.
    decodering
  • Reply 16 of 91
    I am an Apple shareholder since about the time of the OS X Public Beta- well before the bandwagon- and would not shell out $1,000 for a cell phone if Steve Jobs arose from the grave and hand delivered it to me.

    It is a phone, people. A nice phone, but not worth $1,000. Back when I was buying my first Apple stock that would buy you an iMac.

    Not trying to be a troll, but I consider a $1,000 phone to be an IQ test. If you buy it, you lose.
    pentaemuthuk_vanalingampropoddecodering78Bandittokyojimu
  • Reply 17 of 91
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    My 6s works fine.

    Eventually the IPhone X features will be available in a $400 IPhone SE Model.

    That’s when I’ll be interested.  There’s no way I’m paying $800+ for a phone.
    decoderingatomic101
  • Reply 18 of 91
    georgie01georgie01 Posts: 436member
    If carriers still subsidized I might upgrade every two years, but now that we're stuck with the full cost of the phone, it's just too difficult to justify the expense.
    But you still paid for the phone through your monthly overcharged service bill...you just never saw yourself paying for it.

    I had to pay $280 upfront for my iPhone X and $30/mo. which is the same monthly fee for my previous iPhone 7 (upfront cost was $100). $50/mo for unlimited LTE service and it’s hard to say the X costs too much money.
    StrangeDaysrinosaur
  • Reply 19 of 91
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    For example, 44 percent of respondents said they have yet to upgrade because "my iPhone works fine," a reply that implies iPhone X either lacks "must have" features or asks too much for the functions it does offer. 

    That seems to be a logical jump. My Phone Works Fine means they aren't shopping for a phone.  They aren't in the market because they are happy with what they have. I have an iPhoneSE. I didn't upgrade to an X. I also didn't upgrade to an 8 or a 7. Not because they are lackluster or have no impressive features. They do. Not because they were too expensive. If I needed or wanted a $1k phone I could figure out how to make that work. I didn't upgrade because My Phone Works Fine. I don't need a new one. I have a car. I didn't buy a new one of those last year for the same reason. I also didn't buy a new house or replace my cat. The one I have now works fine. When I encounter a problem, such as I can't run the latest iOS, or load the software I need, then I'll look at it. Until then the iPhone XI could have a 10000ppi screen, read my mind and cost $200 and I still would not feel much of an urge to get one. I don't need a new phone. So the assertion that My Phone Works Fine implies anything beyond that they are a happy customer is really stretching.

    randominternetpersontenthousandthingsanomemacplusplusradarthekatfastasleepbaconstangmattinozdecoderingmike1
  • Reply 20 of 91
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    Do they also publish surveys like this for Samsung and other flagship phones? Why the obsession with Apple and iPhone X?
    radarthekatracerhomie3
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