Roger Fingas
People planning to get a HomePod for the holidays were disappointed by a surprise delay. We did, however, get a possible glimpse at future iPhones, including a colossal 6.5-inch model rumored to be coming next year.
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Everything you need to know:
- Next year's iPhones could include 6.5- and 5.8-inch OLED models, plus a 6.1-inch LCD device > >
- The HomePod has been delayed until early 2018 > >
- A 2019 iPhone could have a rear-facing 3D sensor > >
- Apple and Intel are allegedly working on a 5G modem for iPhones > >
- iOS 11.1.2 fixed a problem with the iPhone X going "numb" in cold weather > >
- Apple's Inclusion and Diversity head is leaving > >
- Robbers smashed their way into Apple's flagship U.K. store > >
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Christine McKee
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4 Comments
I kind of expected this as the X seems more like a test to see if the iPhone buyers would like the features. If it bombed, then they could go back to the iPhone & iPhone+ without missing a beat. If did well then and X & X+ becomes the new normal and the “old” iPhone sized phone becomes the new SE market space for them to continue to milk cheaper LCD screen profits from in the bargain market space. Never forget the plastic iPhone.
I agree with vukasika that the iPhone X will be the new normal size for our apple flagship, and the 6.8 inch phone will be the plus sized flagship with a physical size very similar to the 8 plus.
IMO in the future, both of these phones (the X and the X Plus) will continue to be premium phones with a higher price tag than we've been seeing with apple's prior flagships.
The 6.1 inch LCD phone will have a screen size and a physical size halfway between those of the x and the x plus, and could have a price between what the 8 and 8 plus have now, or perhaps the price of just a current 8. Kind of taking the place of what our standard flagship has been prior to the X.
Given that so many mid priced competitors have screen sizes close to our 8 plus, I think this approach is very smart and will make apple even stronger in that lower price tier (the old flagship price range) than they otherwise would have been.
The X and X plus could continue to be the place where apple uses the most advanced technologies that are difficult to ramp up to hundreds of millions of units, and that in turn could continue to justify this new premium pricing. Apple has, in the past, had to avoid such technologies, as with their somewhat late entrance into OLED, primarily because their suppliers couldn't have gotten the kinds of volume apple needs. This new premium approach to pricing solves that problem, while the new 6.1 screen size will make that old flagship tier even more attractive than it has been (as with say the 8 and 8 plus), and work for growing market share at multiple price ranges.
I'm disappointed in the HomePod delay. I've been looking forward to this. I use an echo Dot in my bedroom for the news briefing and weather reports. I don't have to find my phone or have my Watch on. And I don't have to be particularly close to use the Dot.
There are a lot of problems with Siri, but it does work to some degree with HomeKit and using it for voice control with my Hue lights would be very convenient. Alexa does some limited stuff with my Hues (probably more if I had a Geek card) but the Pod sounds more versatile and promising.