Is the iPhone 8 a failure?

[Premium1]

I'm still wondering why it wasn't because it completely went against apple's precedent for naming their phones.

They probably figured it would be an even harder sell compared to the x if they went 7s and iPhone 10.

 

[ItnStln]

They probably figured it would be an even harder sell compared to the x if they went 7s and iPhone 10.

That's true too. But now you have the 8 and 10 which could be confusing as well.

 

[Premium1]

I can't get my wife to use Apple Pay, oh well.. but besides that, if the iPhone 8 is such a failure, why is the iPhone 8-Plus basically sold out everywhere? Around here AT&T and Verizon = completely sold out. Ship time is only 1+ weeks, but in store, they're gone, except a few silver 64GB.

Because like is usual with apple, they keep limited stock the first month or so. They still aren't as sold out as previous years (where if you didn't get a preorder in the first hour you had a 3+ week wait)

 

[Premium1]

I just don’t know what people expect in a smartphone. They want all these crazy features packed into an octagon (rectangles are so dated), but then they don’t even use them & they complain it doesn’t fit right in their pocket. It’s the most annoying mess ever!! Oh wait, I forgot they also want the battery to last for 30 days & for it to cost $199.

Most people don’t even know half the features that exist on their phone, but they still complain because they want more. Since we’re techy & in the forums we believe the public cares about these “special” things & they don’t. Ask the average person about 3D Touch & they’ll look at you crazy. Heck, you can ask them to do something as basic as Spotlight search & they still won’t know. I still have friends texting me to ask why their email only shows the past month, & how they backup their device because they keep getting a pop up that says they haven’t backed up. And don’t get me started on “how come my screen won’t rotate” My cousin goes to the bank to withdraw money, so he can deposit it into an account at another bank. He also goes to the ATM or calls to check his balances....he has a Samsung S7. People have no idea what they have in their hands. If you think about it, test a few folks that you know aren’t techy. The responses will shock you!!

People want things they see on other devices. They see these other phones with larger screens in a smaller body than what the iPhone offers (and lets not argue, the iPhone 8/+ bezels are why it doesn't fit in a pocket). When there are alternatives out there that people see, they expect apple (who always loves to claim innovation and they created so many things) to step up to the plate and match it. The 8/+ are not deserving of a new number, when they are what has been for years an S type upgrade. The x should have been called the 8, with the 6sss being called the 7s/s+

 

[Premium1]

I agree! There's a lot of fuss that the iPhone 8 is not much of an upgrade from the 7, but neither was the 5 to 5S or 6 to 6S. I upgraded then as well, but I definitely could understand this launch being called 7S. I think they only called it an 8 because they changed to a glass back. I can't see any other reason...although there's probably a ton.

Edit: I didn't answer the question...no I don't think it's a failure. I just think expectations are high.

The difference being those were "S" upgrades not a new number. The new number usually marks a redesign. That is what people are complaining about.

 

[Garz]

People want things they see on other devices. They see these other phones with larger screens in a smaller body than what the iPhone offers (and lets not argue, the iPhone 8/+ bezels are why it doesn't fit in a pocket). When there are alternatives out there that people see, they expect apple (who always loves to claim innovation and they created so many things) to step up to the plate and match it. The 8/+ are not deserving of a new number, when they are what has been for years an S type upgrade. The x should have been called the 8, with the 6sss being called the 7s/s+

Any kind of design change whether head phone jack being gone, removal of antenna lines going across the back, and glass back are enough that I think Apple considers it a design change and call it a new number. Yes it’s basically the same phone design or foot print for the past 4 models but I can see why they are not calling it an S model. Usually S models are exact same design just different internals. When you look at the 6/6 s and then the 7 and then the 8 you can tell there are changes from looking at the back. But the front, nobody would notice a change except maybe and I say maybe the wider speaker hole on top.

 

[nikkisharif]

People want things they see on other devices. They see these other phones with larger screens in a smaller body than what the iPhone offers (and lets not argue, the iPhone 8/+ bezels are why it doesn't fit in a pocket). When there are alternatives out there that people see, they expect apple (who always loves to claim innovation and they created so many things) to step up to the plate and match it. The 8/+ are not deserving of a new number, when they are what has been for years an S type upgrade. The x should have been called the 8, with the 6sss being called the 7s/s+

You’re missing my point. Maybe all your friends are in tech or our age groups/demographics are different but the average adult user wants a device that works for what they use it for. I’m a 39 year old woman working in IT & outside of that bubble, people are not comparing smartphone features & wanting what others have. Maybe that’s just the people I come in contact with, but they don’t care. This discussion wouldn’t even be happening right now if I wasn’t in this forum.

 

[donnation]

I believe there is one reason only they released the 8 and 8 Plus. Supplies are going to be so limited that its going to be very difficult to find the X until 2018. I also believe that this will stop the update cycle on phones. They will release the iPhone 9 next year as well as software updates to the X, which will then catch up the models. It is essentially an announcement of the X, which will be the flagship phone next year as well.

 

[Rob Phillips]

I believe there is one reason only they released the 8 and 8 Plus. Supplies are going to be so limited that its going to be very difficult to find the X until 2018. I also believe that this will stop the update cycle on phones. They will release the iPhone 9 next year as well as software updates to the X, which will then catch up the models. It is essentially an announcement of the X, which will be the flagship phone next year as well.

I see your point but I doubt Apple had enough time to throw together an additional iPhone model once they realized iPhone X supply would be as constrained as we are expecting. They’re already putting things together for next year’s models at this point. I also don’t think they’ll venture away from annual upgrades to its flagship devices. Apple needs to keep up with the competition (Samsung and Google), shareholders expect annual announcements, and iPhone sales are the majority of the company’s revenue (and new iPhone launches make up the majority of new sales).

In my opinion, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus exist because there’s enough demand to warrant their existence. There are plenty of consumers who don’t want to or can’t afford to spent $1,000+ on a smartphone, especially internationally.

 

[donnation]

I see your point but I doubt Apple had enough time to throw together an additional iPhone model once they realized iPhone X supply would be as constrained as we are expecting. They’re already putting things together for next year’s models at this point. I also don’t think they’ll venture away from annual upgrades to its flagship devices. Apple needs to keep up with the competition (Samsung and Google), shareholders expect annual announcements, and iPhone sales are the majority of the company’s revenue (and new iPhone launches make up the majority of new sales).

In my opinion, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus exist because there’s enough demand to warrant their existence. There are plenty of consumers who don’t want to or can’t afford to spent $1,000+ on a smartphone, especially internationally.

I’m not saying they just threw plans together for the 8, of course it was planned. But the 9 will have to be released, which will more than likely be another 8 model slightly modified. That leaves the X to be the flagship for next year. It will be the flagship because supply will be limited until summer and people won’t have access to it.

 

[Rob Phillips]

I’m not saying they just threw plans together for the 8, of course it was planned. But the 9 will have to be released, which will more than likely be another 8 model slightly modified. That leaves the X to be the flagship for next year. It will be the flagship because supply will be limited until summer and people won’t have access to it.

I see what you’re saying. Who would want to take delivery of the most expensive smartphone ever sold only months before a new version is scheduled to be released? It will be interesting to see how Apple makes this work.

 

[scruffypig]

It is very much like the iPhone 7, so in that respect, certainly I am a little disappointed. Part of me is thinking of returning and upgrading to the X. Part of me really likes the familiarity of it, with the added features, wireless charging and way faster processing and upgraded internals. I might just keep it.

 

[scruffypig]

I don’t recall if Apple have ever released two iPhone models in the same year.

However, the pending iPhone X release, is probably what’s impeding iPhone 8/8 Plus sales.

Albeit, I’m sure Apple expected this prior to launch. All those statistics they probably have on sales, regions of sales, etcetera.

2013 saw the iPhone 5S and the 5C.

 

[mogelijk]

2013 saw the iPhone 5S and the 5C.

You also had the iPhone SE and, I guess technically, the iPhone 7 in the same year; though the SE was a mid-cycle release.

 

[KrisYYC]

I had to stand in line for over 30 mins to get my iPhone 8 on launch day. Granted it's probably the busiest Apple Store in my city. However I just checked online and all 4 stores near me are sold out of every variant of the 8 and 8 plus. Only option is buy online or maybe through a carrier.

Take this for what it's worth but while waiting in line I was chatting with one of the Apple Store managers who was helping organize the line ups. He was saying he thinks the iPhone 8 will sell better than the X. At least up here in Canada. The main reason being that many up here are put off by the iPhone X price. In Canadian dollars the 64GB will be about $1400 after tax. The 256GB will be between $1600-$1700 after tax depending on your province. That's a hard pill to swallow for most Canadians. And a big price premium for what? I slightly nicer screen, no home button and animojis?

I actually preferred the 8 since they were announced. I like the tried and true, no BS style and home button. The fact that it's $400 cheaper despite having the same internals at the X makes it all that much more attractive in my opinion.

 

[TripleOne]

I had to stand in line for over 30 mins to get my iPhone 8 on launch day. Granted it's probably the busiest Apple Store in my city. However I just checked online and all 4 stores near me are sold out of every variant of the 8 and 8 plus. Only option is buy online or maybe through a carrier.

Take this for what it's worth but while waiting in line I was chatting with one of the Apple Store managers who was helping organize the line ups. He was saying he thinks the iPhone 8 will sell better than the X. At least up here in Canada. The main reason being that many up here are put off by the iPhone X price. In Canadian dollars the 64GB will be about $1400 after tax. The 256GB will be between $1600-$1700 after tax depending on your province. That's a hard pill to swallow for most Canadians. And a big price premium for what? I slightly nicer screen, no home button and animojis?

I actually preferred the 8 since they were announced. I like the tried and true, no BS style and home button. The fact that it's $400 cheaper despite having the same internals at the X makes it all that much more attractive in my opinion.

Only time will tell.
It’ll surprise us if people are actually willing to pay for the X.

 

[firstborn80]

The difference being those were "S" upgrades not a new number. The new number usually marks a redesign. That is what people are complaining about.

It’s possible Apple decided switching to a glass back was a redesign. Who knows but Apple? Apple did something we didn’t expect with calling it the 8 but that doesn’t really matter in my opinion. They can call it what they want. The decision to upgrade isn’t based on the name and many people were going to upgrade anyway...whether the phone was called 7S or 8, or whether the X was released or not.

 

[bakron1]

I personally think Apple should have skipped the iPhone 8 and just released the iPhone X as the new model for 2017 and left it at that.

I know there are folks out there who love the home button and have become accustomed to having it, but I think this is going to hurt Apples profits in the long run buy releasing two major upgrades in the same year.

I have asked many of my clients and friends if they are going to upgrade to the new iPhone 8 and they said no. There is not enough new features to justify the upgrade and having wireless charging is not a big deal to them.

The other issue I hear is a lot of folks don’t like the glass back compared to the all metal body on the iPhone 7 and are concerned with long term durability.

Myself, I did buy a new iPhone 8 64 gold model and so far I haven’t seen any major speed increase or better screen quality. I do find the device more slippery and harder to hold compared to my iPhone 7, but my Apple OEM leather case will solve that issue.

Would I recommend upgrading to the 8 from a 7, probably not. If your coming from a 5 or 6/6s model, it is worth the upgrade as long as your willing to part with your headphone jack and go the Bluetooth route.

I will also be buying the iPhone X as soon as it becomes available for pre order and looking forward to using the gesture concept being I am also a Blackberry person who loved OS10. Just my two cents.

 

[Just_Me_D]

....

In my opinion, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus exist because there’s enough demand to warrant their existence. There are plenty of consumers who don’t want to or can’t afford to spent $1,000+ on a smartphone, especially internationally.

Well stated, sir....

 

[Jezza23]

Apple released the 8 as the 'economic' 2017 new iPhone model, so people willing to have the newest iPhone that didn't want the X could buy something. I'm sure Apple has analised the market and have found a place where the 8 belongs...