Apple iPhones are one of the best things every gadget enthusiast looks forward to every year. After 2017's iPhone X launch, expectations from the Cupertino-based tech titan are pretty high, and Apple seems to have every intention to exceed those expectations.
Amid ongoing rumours about the 2018 iPhones, KGI Securities — a brokerage and investment banking firm known for its accurate predictions about Apple's iPhone plans before they're official — has revealed its predictions about the three-tier iPhone lineup due for this September.
But before we get to that, KGI analysts had some forecasts about the current-gen iPhone X, 9to5Mac reported.
According to the report, the iPhone X will be discontinued as soon as this year, which means it won't be getting any discounts like older-generation iPhones generally do after a year or so. Analysts predict that Apple will sell around 62 million units in total, which is much lower than the 80-million prediction.
In the first quarter of this year, the company is expected to ship around 18 million iPhone X units and then about 13 million in the Q2 2018 before the flagship reaches its "end of life around mid-2018." The primary reason behind this is weaker sales of the iPhone X than expected.
In China, the iPhone X did not impress buyers enough for them to let go of their existing iPhones, the report said, adding that the notch design also turned away many potential buyers.
Will 2018 be different for Apple?
If the KGI report is to be believed, Apple has a robust plan in place. The firm's analysts are bullish about the upcoming iPhones. Discontinuing the iPhone X this year will leave potential buyers without a bezel-less iPhone for a short period of time, but Apple will make up for that loss with three new iPhones in September.
KGI reaffirms its predictions about three new iPhone models launching this year – all of them inspired by the iPhone X design. If the pricing of the current-gen iPhone X turned you away, you'll find a suitable companion later this year when Apple launches a 6.1-inch LCD model.
But Apple isn't letting go of the premium element that came with the iPhone X last year. Apple will launch two successors — the 5.8-inch iPhone X (2018) and the 6.5-inch OLED iPhone X Plus — in September. The report doesn't shed light on the specifications of these new iPhones, but KGI expects the 6.1-inch iPhone X to be priced lower than the current iPhone X.
If the report is accurate, the LCD iPhone X will cost around $650-750 (Rs 41,499-47,883), which is more along the lines of the current iPhone 8 series.
Are you planning to buy the iPhone X before it is discontinued, or would you rather wait for the new iPhones to arrive in September? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
