Demand for the next generation iPhone remains strong in the months before its expected fall debut, claims a report from RBC Capital Markets analysts. According to a 4,000 person survey conducted by RBC, half of consumers who plan to upgrade their phone in the next three months intend to buy an iPhone and a quarter of those would be willing to pay $100 more for their iPhone to have a 5.5-inch screen over the other rumored size of 4.7 inches.
Customers know about and are interested in the next iPhone, with 74 percent of survey respondents stating they are aware of Apple's possible fall iPhone launch and fifty percent claiming they are interested in buying an iPhone for their next phone. Primarily, customers are looking for performance improvements and a large screen in their next iPhone handset.
While ~49% of smartphone purchasers are inclined to buy the next Apple product, we learned that the main driving factor for sales surround performance improvements (battery life 33%, processor 18%, camera 12%). In our view, these results are positive for AAPL, as we would not be surprised to see improvements to both battery life and processing speed with the iPhone 6. Finally, beyond performance improvements, we also learned that screen size could materially impact sales, as 23% of participants surveyed are inclined to purchase a larger screen iPhone.
These customers not only want a larger phone, they also are willing to pay for it, with more than one quarter of respondents willing to pay a $100 premium to buy a 5.5-inch iPhone for $299 instead of the current $199 for the 16GB iPhone 5s and presumably the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. This echoes an earlier report from Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt, who also says consumers are showing an increasing willingness to pay a $100 price premium for a larger device.
Analysts expect the next iPhone to cause iPhone sales to surge as consumers upgrade to the large-screened handset. This demand could translate into a 15 to 20 percent jump in unit sales, year over year, claims RBC. Besides the iPhone 6, Apple also is expected to unveil the iWatch and refresh its iPad lineup later this year in what Eddy Cue says is "the best product pipeline that I've seen in my 25 years at Apple."
Wednesday March 12, 2025 6:05 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone includes a smaller but meaningful improvement for Apple's in-car iPhone mirroring system CarPlay.
Specifically, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra with a...
Wednesday March 12, 2025 7:39 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
Daring Fireball's John Gruber today shared some strongly-worded comments about Apple's delayed personalized Siri features. Gruber is a well-known Apple pundit who has been writing about the company for more than two decades.
In a blog post titled "Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino," Gruber said Apple's credibility has been "damaged" by the delay:Keynote by keynote, product by...
Tuesday March 11, 2025 3:26 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for.
Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...
Wednesday March 12, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
iPhones are finally getting a much-requested setting, but availability is limited.
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update introduces an option to set a default navigation app, other than Apple Maps, but unfortunately this new setting is limited to users in the EU. There, you can now set an app like Google Maps or Waze as your default navigation app on the iPhone by opening the Settings app and tapping ...
If you've been following iPhone rumors over the last few years, you may remember reading reports that Apple flirted with the idea of introducing a super high-end "Ultra" model that would either replace its Pro Max device or sit above it in Apple's smartphone hirearchy. These reports appeared in the pre-launch iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 rumor cycles, but ultimately came to nothing. Now though, the...
Thursday March 13, 2025 3:07 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to feature a significant design overhaul, and a new image apparently taken on an assembly line for the unreleased devices appears to confirm the biggest rumored change.
Render of an iPhone 17 Pro model shared by Jon Prosser
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to adopt a horizontal camera bar reminiscent of Google's Pixel...
Apple is planning for a major design overhaul of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac interfaces with the introduction of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 later this year, reports Bloomberg. The update will "fundamentally change" the look of Apple's operating system, introducing a more consistent cross-platform experience.
Apple plans to update the style of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system...
Thursday March 13, 2025 9:32 am PDT by Juli Clover
The Apple Intelligence features that Apple introduced with iOS 18 are not pushing people to upgrade their iPhones, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated today. Apple's recent Siri failures are also going to have an impact on 2025 iPhone shipments, which the market is beginning to realize.
As early as last July, Kuo said expectations that Apple Intelligence could drive iPhone upgrades were...
Thursday March 13, 2025 4:02 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple made a major misstep with the way that it handled the delay of Apple Intelligence features for Siri, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today. Announcing the delay through a press statement was a bad decision, and Apple should instead have gone through official channels.
Kuo referenced the well-known "Antennagate" PR crisis when the iPhone 4 launched in 2010, and the way that then Apple...
I think a lot of iPhone fans will finally discover what many other Android/WP users have long known:
1) Larger screens rock for everything. Email, games, browsing, video playback, reading, typing... etc. The list can go on and on. The benefits are great.
2) Using larger screen devices with one hand is not impossible, and in fact, quite manageable. You'll learn to adjust. Those that used to claim it's impossible will eat their words when they learn just how quickly they'll adjust.
3) Larger devices can still fit in pockets. Of course, the larger you go, the harder it'll be, but again, people will adjust.
4) There is no "perfect size" -- choice will be great. I do hope Apple continues offering a 4" option, though, for those who want to stay there. And ideally, a next-generation 4" option (not just the previous generation's 5S or anything). If not, people will just have to adopt to the trends if they want the latest.
Am I the only person who does NOT want a bigger screen? Sheesh.
No, you are one of the very few. And I salute your ability to have a mind of you own, well done, and good on you for not doing what most others are doing now.
Not that long ago, any mention of larger screen was met with waves and waves of people on these forums saying no way. Don't need it, don't want it, Apple won't make it.
Now, in recent days, it's almost full of people saying YAY, I want BIG screen, take my money, can't wait.
It's utterly amazing, how, yet again, Apple fans totally 180 degree change their mind from hating and not wanting something to shouting, I want it, I want it.
I respect you for having a brain that has independent thought. Well done to you.
