To commemorate the 10th year of its flagship smartphone, Apple is expected to launch an anniversary iPhone edition, along with two more upgraded versions of the existing iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, on Tuesday. If recent leaks of the company's software code are to believe, the highly-anticipated anniversary version will be called the iPhone X while the upgraded iPhone models will be named as iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.
However, all eyes are on the special edition iPhone X as it is likely come with a bezel-less design, a new trend in the smartphone market popularized by devices like Xiaomi Mi Mix, Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG G6. Although the upcoming iPhone X is expected to offer exciting new features, giving a whole new direction to Apple's smartphone line-up, many believe that it won't be easy for the handset to win consumers' heart in an increasingly crowded premium smartphone segment.
Samsung still holds strong
After the successful launch of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, Samsung is now ready to ruin Apple's September party with the Galaxy Note 8. Announced on August 23, the latest Note places the company in an ideal position to win more market share while an expensive price tag of over $1,000 for the iPhone X may be a cause of concern for Apple.
"While the device itself seems more evolutionary than revolutionary, we believe this launch represents the return of staunch competition into the premium segment ($700+ ASP) of the smartphone market following Samsung's Note 7 debacle last year," Express quoted Barclays' analyst Mark Moskowitz as saying.
When it comes to Apple, only 18 percent of potential iPhone buyers are willing to spend $1,000 or more for a new iPhone, according to one of Barclays' surveys.
"For Apple, we are concerned that the company needs to meet momentous investor expectations following the expected launch of three new iPhone devices in September," Moskowitz said. "This could be made more challenging when considering that only 18 percent of potential iPhone buyers are willing to spend $1,000+ for a new device, which is below the 30-35 percent figure investors seem to be expecting."
Chinese uprising
Samsung is not the only threat for Apple as a number of Chinese smartphone brands are also vying for greater smartphone market share at a global level. In fact, three of the top five smartphone vendors in the world are from China.
In the second quarter of this year, Samsung and Apple were followed by China's Huawei, Oppo and Vivo -- with a combined market share of 23.5 percent -- to round out the top five positions in the worldwide smartphone market, according to Gartner.
A report from market research firm Counterpoint last week even said that Huawei had surpassed Apple to claim the second position in worldwide smartphone sales after Samsung in both in June and July.
The report also said that Chinese smartphone makers like Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi have managed to gain access to key supply chain partners, allowing them to launch new bezel-less devices with more enhanced features.
Expectations are high for iPhone X
With the launch of the iPhone X, Apple is expected to further strengthen its position in the so-called smartphone battlefield. To make it happen, Apple is also likely join the bezel-less party with its next-generation flagship smartphone.
Rumours are rife that the iPhone X will have a front panel, which will be completely bezel-free except for a small strip on top to include the front camera, earphone and other sensors. According to Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, the new iPhone will feature a 5.8-inch OLED screen which will use less battery and provide better black levels than LED panels.
The new iPhone X is also expected to ditch the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and feature a 3D face scanner for facial recognition. The device is also likely to support augmented reality (AR) apps and wireless charging.
Another new aspect of the iPhone X will be the rear dual camera setup, which will be vertically oriented for shooting 3D images and videos.
