Apple 'wants to serve everyone' with wide iPhone price range, Tim Cook says

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 53
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,329member
    It's important in every competitive market to have at least one company that is always pushing the edges of what is possible. Apple is always trying to have at least one "great" product for every market it serves, not simply "good enough" products. In doing so they continually raise the bar not only for themselves, but for the market as a whole. There is always at least one iPhone in Apple's lineup that embodies their most ambitious motivations and goals. By actually delivering such a product to the market, what was once nearly impossible quickly becomes not only possible, but practical and easily attainable by other products that follow in its footsteps. This pattern has been repeated for every newly designed iPhone released since the very first model.

    Last year's most ambitious iPhone was the iPhone X. Low and behold, every new iPhone in this year's lineup has the X-factor baked into its design and one model in particular, the XS Max, delivers unprecedented levels of functionality and performance for a personal supercomputer that fits in your pocket. Customers who share Apple's aspirations that drove it to create nothing less than what is a "great" product, and are willing and able to pay for it right now, will buy this product. I don't see any discrepancies with this pattern. If you want the very best of what Apple can build - today, you are effectively subsidizing a bigger portion of what it cost Apple to get it to market - today.

    Anyone who has ever paid for anything of value recognizes the familiar "time-value of x" pattern. A dollar in your hand today is worth more than a dollar in your hand tomorrow. People pay interest for the pleasure of having today's dollar. The same applies to Apple's most ambitious and aspirational new product, i.e., the apex model. You want it today? You're gonna pay. Fortunately for Apple customers who will not or cannot pay today, in about a year from now, it'll still be there in all its glory but it will no longer be the most ambitious or costly model. There will be a new apex model with an apex price tag.

    To Apple's credit and as we see with the XR model, some of the same things that make today's apex product great are also available in lower cost offerings. In fact, if your loyalties are not confined to Apple it's highly likely that other makers will undoubtedly incorporate similar features to what Apple has shown this week. But none of these lower tier products would even be considered "good enough" if there was not a "great" benchmark to compare them to. Being "good enough" kind of implies that you know what "great" looks like but you've chosen to shoot for a lower target. This may be done so for any number of practical, pragmatic, attainability, affordability, etc., reasons. If you're not even shooting for "good enough" please find another line of work. But someone has to aim for "great" and that someone has always been Apple. 
    edited September 2018 fastasleepjonagoldwatto_cobra
  • Reply 22 of 53
    SweatShop said:
    Oh, they raise the price and they take back the headphone adapter. Sure. You’ll see, next iteration the charger will be removed, and the one after that, you’ll have to pay $2,000 for a phone and cough up some extra for the battery.

    But yeah, you’ll get 3 nm CPU, new lens, retina recognition, blah blah. 

    Glad my 5S still works perfectly. 
    Here’s a fun site and it’s also educational:

    usinflationcalculator.com

    You can learn exactly how much purchasing power your dollars have lost over time. I think most people are completely clueless about this, so plug in what an iPhone cost 10 years ago, or 5 years ago compared to today.

    Apple doesn’t price their products in a vacuum. There are real costs, competitive pressures, dollar devaluation and other factors which come into play.
    edited September 2018 fastasleeptmayRayz2016claire1watto_cobra
  • Reply 23 of 53
    YoRHa said:
    ElCapitan said:
    Maybe he could get the same idea of serving Mac customers into his head too. 
    Computers don’t make money anymore.
    sigh.



    claire1watto_cobra
  • Reply 24 of 53
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    ireland said:
    I’ve still yet to hear a good explanation for why Xr larger than Xs.
    Dude, come to the US and bring a stack of money. You know you want one. ߘ馬t;/div>
    Ha. The SE is large enough for me. Full screen that shit and price it somewhere in reality and we’ll see.

    I was asking because I’m OCD about elegance and simplicity and find Apple’s entire product lineup bewildering and overly complex. Three full screen iPhones available in 5”, 6” and 6.5” I would find elegant and sensible. Maybe keep one oldie around as the budget, if needed, but that’s it. Too many products. The Xr feels like a display size experiment for them. Like they are unsure what size is best, with 5.8 and 6.1 released together.
    edited September 2018 atomic101
  • Reply 25 of 53
    claire1claire1 Posts: 510unconfirmed, member
    ireland said:
    ireland said:
    I’ve still yet to hear a good explanation for why Xr larger than Xs.
    Dude, come to the US and bring a stack of money. You know you want one. ߘ馬t;/div>
    Ha. The SE is large enough for me. Full screen that shit and price it somewhere in reality and we’ll see.

    I was asking because I’m OCD about elegance and simplicity and find Apple’s entire product lineup bewildering and overly complex. Three full screen iPhones available in 5”, 6” and 6.5” I would find elegant and sensible. Maybe keep one oldie around as the budget, if needed, but that’s it. Too many products. The Xr feels like a display size experiment for them. Like they are unsure what size is best, with 5.8 and 6.1 released together.

    iPhone-X-Plus-concept - GizBrain - Your Tech Brain

    An SE sized X would sell like crazy among teens and users like us.

    I wouldn't mind a 4" version with A11 chip for $449.

    Is $449 realistic? Yes.
    Consider what can be downgraded:

    One lens
    A11
    LCD
    Smaller screen
    FaceID 1.0

    I mean what are they gonna do with last years X parts?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 26 of 53
    it used to be that smaller was better in electronic products. apple should just say fuck it and turn the ipad pro 12” into the flag ship phone and be done with this retarded big phone shit all it would take is release of the phone app.
  • Reply 27 of 53
    anomeanome Posts: 1,533member
    it used to be that smaller was better in electronic products. apple should just say fuck it and turn the ipad pro 12” into the flag ship phone and be done with this retarded big phone shit all it would take is release of the phone app.


    I know I've brought it up before, but remember when the original iPhone was mocked for being too big, and they switched hand models from a woman to a man to make it look smaller? Don't you wish people would make up their minds?

    Well, OK, they have, but it's still kind of silly.

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 28 of 53
    claire1 said:
    ireland said:
    ireland said:
    I’ve still yet to hear a good explanation for why Xr larger than Xs.
    Dude, come to the US and bring a stack of money. You know you want one. ߘ馬t;/div>
    Ha. The SE is large enough for me. Full screen that shit and price it somewhere in reality and we’ll see.

    I was asking because I’m OCD about elegance and simplicity and find Apple’s entire product lineup bewildering and overly complex. Three full screen iPhones available in 5”, 6” and 6.5” I would find elegant and sensible. Maybe keep one oldie around as the budget, if needed, but that’s it. Too many products. The Xr feels like a display size experiment for them. Like they are unsure what size is best, with 5.8 and 6.1 released together.

    iPhone-X-Plus-concept - GizBrain - Your Tech Brain

    An SE sized X would sell like crazy among teens and users like us.

    I wouldn't mind a 4" version with A11 chip for $449.

    Is $449 realistic? Yes.
    Consider what can be downgraded:

    One lens
    A11
    LCD
    Smaller screen
    FaceID 1.0

    I mean what are they gonna do with last years X parts?
    It will be released in 2 years.   It'll will be called:  the "X" but it'll have an OLED screen.
  • Reply 29 of 53
    anome said:
    it used to be that smaller was better in electronic products. apple should just say fuck it and turn the ipad pro 12” into the flag ship phone and be done with this retarded big phone shit all it would take is release of the phone app.


    I know I've brought it up before, but remember when the original iPhone was mocked for being too big, and they switched hand models from a woman to a man to make it look smaller? Don't you wish people would make up their minds?

    Well, OK, they have, but it's still kind of silly.

    You could also download papercut outs to make a model and try for yourself.

    The interesting thing here is there a market trend that has been attributed to saturation. Yet the start of the slow down also corresponds to phones pushing back up beyond 65mm in width. Apples own show the effect as well with accounts increasing at a greater rate than sales showing people are holding phones for longer. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 30 of 53
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member
    dws-2 said:
    I think much of the world might disagree with his understanding of 'everyone', but the iPhone Xr is a good phone at a comparatively good price. I plan to pick up a blue one, mostly because I like the color and it has everything I care about.
    "Everyone' includes those spending $449 for an iPhone 7.   For most, that is affordable -- more a matter priorities than affordability.
    True, but as I've posted in the past, I think because of the huge salaries that Apple pays so many of its employees and certainly its decision-making executives (even if accompanied by completely absurd housing prices), I think Apple has lost perspective on what people can afford.   Let's not forget that in the U.S., median household income is still only about $50,000.   Now Apple doesn't have to make phones for everyone, but this depends upon whether they want units and market share or whether they just care about margin.   BMW doesn't make cars for everyone, and there's nothing wrong with that, but they don't sell a lot of units.  In recent years, Apple seems to have wanted it both ways.

    IMO, the iPhone was not really successful when first launched.  It wasn't until the U.S. carriers started offering subsidized deals that it took off where one could pay just $200 for the phone and pay the rest out as part of the plan, but that cost was buried, especially because it didn't always reduce when one essentially finished paying for the phone.  (Mine didn't).    At $200 (or $300 when I got the iPhone 6 with more memory), I don't mind paying for an upgrade.   But for prices of the newest models, I'm far more reluctant (I'm not claiming that everyone thinks like me.)   I actually got a new battery installed yesterday by Apple for $29, and if that works out, I just might keep the 6 for another year, as nice as those new phones are because in the end, what do I do with the phone? - email, a bit of Facebook, texts, checking stock prices, Apple Pay, listening to music, an occasional e-book and some reference photos or videos if I want to remember something - all things the 6 still can do well.   I even get or make some phone calls every so often.    I don't need a $1200 phone to accomplish these things.   

    Apple seems to have removed the iPhone X from their website, yet I noticed that they were still selling a ton of these at the Apple Store I was at yesterday.  What are they doing with the inventory?  I sincerely hope they're not going to a landfill or to recyclers.  
  • Reply 31 of 53
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,654member

    ireland said:
    I’ve still yet to hear a good explanation for why Xr larger than Xs.
    We're talking only 1.9 sq in difference in area (0.29" in height and 0.19" in width").  IMO, it's inconsequential.   I don't know the reason why it's different, but since the screens use different technology, I bet it has to do with what the suppliers were able to provide.    


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 32 of 53
    dewme said:
    The same applies to Apple's most ambitious and aspirational new product, i.e., the apex model. You want it today? You're gonna pay. Fortunately for Apple customers who will not or cannot pay today, in about a year from now, it'll still be there in all its glory but it will no longer be the most ambitious or costly model.
    You mean like the iPhone X dropped in price yesterday...oh wait...
  • Reply 33 of 53
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    claire1 said:
    ireland said:
    ireland said:
    I’ve still yet to hear a good explanation for why Xr larger than Xs.
    Dude, come to the US and bring a stack of money. You know you want one. ߘ馬t;/div>
    Ha. The SE is large enough for me. Full screen that shit and price it somewhere in reality and we’ll see.

    I was asking because I’m OCD about elegance and simplicity and find Apple’s entire product lineup bewildering and overly complex. Three full screen iPhones available in 5”, 6” and 6.5” I would find elegant and sensible. Maybe keep one oldie around as the budget, if needed, but that’s it. Too many products. The Xr feels like a display size experiment for them. Like they are unsure what size is best, with 5.8 and 6.1 released together.

    iPhone-X-Plus-concept - GizBrain - Your Tech Brain

    An SE sized X would sell like crazy among teens and users like us.

    I wouldn't mind a 4" version with A11 chip for $449.

    Is $449 realistic? Yes.
    Consider what can be downgraded:

    One lens
    A11
    LCD
    Smaller screen
    FaceID 1.0

    I mean what are they gonna do with last years X parts?
    They could SE the 7 early next year then open up a slot for 5inch Xs or Xr a bit higher up the price ladder. I'm assuming the 5inch X does require eSim to be working so they can delete the SIM tray to make room.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 34 of 53
    zoetmb said:
    IMO, the iPhone was not really successful when first launched.  It wasn't until the U.S. carriers started offering subsidized deals that it took off where one could pay just $200 for the phone and pay the rest out as part of the plan, but that cost was buried, especially because it didn't always reduce when one essentially finished paying for the phone.  (Mine didn't).    At $200 (or $300 when I got the iPhone 6 with more memory), I don't mind paying for an upgrade.   But for prices of the newest models, I'm far more reluctant (I'm not claiming that everyone thinks like me.)   I actually got a new battery installed yesterday by Apple for $29, and if that works out, I just might keep the 6 for another year, as nice as those new phones are because in the end, what do I do with the phone? - email, a bit of Facebook, texts, checking stock prices, Apple Pay, listening to music, an occasional e-book and some reference photos or videos if I want to remember something - all things the 6 still can do well.   I even get or make some phone calls every so often.    I don't need a $1200 phone to accomplish these things.   
    Your iPhone 6 was never $300, it was at minimum $649 whether your carrier rolled your device payments into 24 months or not. That'd be $690 adjusted for inflation today. The XR starts $60 more than that, and for those that don't want to spend more, there's still the 7 and 8 series for much less. And you can still get one for a small down payment and interest-free payments over 24 months, at least with T-Mobile, and there are similar plans on other carriers.


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 35 of 53
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    Apple should differentiate the price based on market!

    Here in brazil the Xr is going to arrive for about 4200 reais, $1.342,20 dollars.

    That is a LOT for an iPhone Xr, and even more when you consider that the minimum wage here is 954 reais, about $228,57.

    We work four months to pay taxes, and more than 5 for a new iPhone.........
    Then why do you want to buy iPhone? There’re android junks at dirt cheap out there. It’s like complaining BMW is expensive for a person w salary of $30000/year.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 36 of 53
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    SweatShop said:
    Oh, they raise the price and they take back the headphone adapter. Sure. You’ll see, next iteration the charger will be removed, and the one after that, you’ll have to pay $2,000 for a phone and cough up some extra for the battery.

    But yeah, you’ll get 3 nm CPU, new lens, retina recognition, blah blah. 

    Glad my 5S still works perfectly. 
    Cheap people don’t deserve new tech!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 37 of 53
    fallenjt said:
    Apple should differentiate the price based on market!

    Here in brazil the Xr is going to arrive for about 4200 reais, $1.342,20 dollars.

    That is a LOT for an iPhone Xr, and even more when you consider that the minimum wage here is 954 reais, about $228,57.

    We work four months to pay taxes, and more than 5 for a new iPhone.........
    Then why do you want to buy iPhone? There’re android junks at dirt cheap out there. It’s like complaining BMW is expensive for a person w salary of $30000/year.
    Fallenjt, you seem like a good fit for Apple's marketing department. Maybe they have an opening.
  • Reply 38 of 53
    mike54 said:
    His target audience are easily pleased. I don't agree with Tim Cook. The cheaper phones offered by Apple have 2 year old tech. If they would offer 6 year old tech it would be even cheaper still. This is an product of increasing specs yearly, it doesn't stand still. I would only agree with Tim if the cheaper phones all had the same tech specs.
    Why would somebody, anybody offer a phone with the same specs as their premium version for less?

    They tried cheapening down their current generation with plastic & such with the 5c(heap).  It didn't go well.  So, they took advantage of the fact that they had paid for the development and tooling required for their older phones and used that to offer them at a lower rate.   That was a win for everybody.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 39 of 53
    Dear Tim, “Everyone” doesn’t want a jumbo phone. “Everyone” isn’t buying a phone on price alone. Bring back the iPhone SE, so “Everyone” has a real choice!
  • Reply 40 of 53
    Apple wants to serve everyone with a wide price range of iPhones? Every reviewer always ends up saying that all iPhones are too expensive for the masses and maybe even for some of the elites. I never see any iPhone reviewer writing about how iPhones are worth the price. If that's the case, is anything worth the price? Going to sports games, movies, dinner at a restaurant, the price of gasoline, a day at the amusement park, a pack of cigarettes? However, when it comes to Apple, it's always how their products are too expensive for the average Joe and yet Apple sells millions of iPhones every single year. If something is too expensive, then simply buy something cheaper. Problem solved. I doubt Apple will be able to sell many iPhones in India, but I'm sure we all know that much. Apple doesn't sell $100 smartphones and I don't think they should. I have never whined about not being able to afford a Lamborghini or Ferrari. That's my tough luck and I don't feel those companies are to blame for selling expensive products (beyond my personal means). I can always buy something cheaper and be satisfied. I'll never understand why people have a beef with Apple for selling so-called expensive products. No one has ever been forced to buy an Apple product.
    Metriacanthosaurus
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