The iPhone X might not have long before it reaches the end of its life cycle and gets discontinued this year. While Apple usually keeps the previous year’s handsets around at a discount when new models pop up, it may try something different in 2018.
According to noted KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone X hasn’t been doing as well as expected. He predicts that Apple will ship about 18 million units in the present quarter, lower than the 20 to 30 million others had estimated. It seems China is to blame since the notch design is turning consumers away.
Kuo claims Chinese customers prefer smartphones with larger displays and the iPhone X’s notch design translates to the effective screen real estate being lesser, at least compared to the 5.5-inch Plus range. All-in-all, he thinks a much lower 62 million units will gets shipped before the device hits the end of life stage in mid-2018.
Also Read: Apple to shrink the 2019 iPhone’s notch
This is right around the time production for the new models will spring up. Kuo is very positive about the fall 2018 iPhone range, asserting that that’s when the real super cycle will kick in. He repeated his belief that there’s going to be a 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, a 5.8-inch OLED iPhone, and 6.5-inch OLED iPhone.
All 3 are set to sport full-screen designs. The first will serve as the most affordable option at $650 – $750, making up for the fact there won’t be a cheaper first-gen iPhone X around. The second will be a direct sequel to the original. The third plus-sized model will offer more usable display area, thus appealing to Chinese users.
Interestingly, the report says that the iPhone 6S and iPhone 7 are still doing surprisingly well as lower-tier options in developing markets. This unexpected popularity is set to buoy Apple’s growth, even if the iPhone X hasn’t met expectations.