Rogers, the largest wireless carrier in Canada, has admitted that it has seen lackluster demand for the iPhone 8 so far.

rogers iphone 8
"What we're seeing is sort of […] anemic appetite for the iPhone 8," said Rogers CEO Joe Natale, during an earnings call today, according to Reuters.

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus pre-orders began on September 15, and the devices launched on September 22, including at Rogers.

Earlier today, China's Economic Daily News claimed Apple has asked its suppliers to reduce iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus production by nearly 50 percent in November and December, just days after iPhone X pre-orders begin.

The report cited an unnamed source who claimed it is the first time in the iPhone's ten-year history that new models will face a major cutback less than three months after Apple suppliers began mass production in China. Given the staggered release of the iPhone X, however, this isn't a typical launch to begin with.

Apple shares declined around 1.5 percent in pre-market trading today as investors reacted to the news, dragging down the Dow Jones.

While many industry observers believe any negative sentiment surrounding the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus spells good news for iPhone X demand, Natale warned about the device's higher price and potential supply constraints.

"The iPhone X price point is about 75 percent higher than the iPhone 7. So it's a very expensive device," he said, referring to the device's $1319 starting price in Canada. "Inventory is a question mark in terms of what we will get."

iPhone X pre-orders begin next Friday, October 27 in several countries, including the United States and Canada. The device launches November 3.

Tag: Rogers
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

theelysium Avatar
93 months ago
Apple should have put the dual camera on the smaller iPhone 8. Most of us on 6s would have upgraded, but without that dual camera we are sticking with our 6s. Apple's bad for not including it.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ds6778 Avatar
93 months ago
I genuinely think smartphone hype of years past is gone. Not only are we getting mostly iterative updates, they’re also getting crazy expensive. I can see the average person holding onto their phone for a few years at this point.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
agsystems Avatar
93 months ago
"The iPhone X price point is about 75 percent higher than the iPhone 7. So it's a very expensive device," he said,referring to the device's $1319 starting price in Canada"
Exactly what I have been saying if the customers don't get help from the carriers (rebates, installment, etc) Apple could be in trouble even matching last year's numbers. The number of folks outside the US able to outright purchase $1000-1500 phones its likely small or not the size Apple is expecting.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nvmls Avatar
93 months ago
Keep those margins up Apple so fanboys can compensate less sales, they love it.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
93 months ago
I can see how this happens.


* iPhone 8 — not different enough from iPhone 7 to justify an upgrade
* iPhone X — way too expensive for most people
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
v0lume4 Avatar
93 months ago
What I ponder is if we are going to see a big dip in iPhone sales this quarter. Lackluster demand for the iPhone 8 (due to the incremental updates as well as people holding out for the X), as well as limited supply for the iPhone X could lead to lower than anticipated sales for the quarter.

And, something else that I don't think many people have considered -- how many folks are going to skip the iPhone X outright, due to it's price? The sample group here on the MacRumors forums isn't indicative of the rest of the buying public's purchase behavior. Only time will tell. Will be interested to see how this pans out.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full Release Notes for iOS 18.2

Thursday December 5, 2024 11:48 am PST by
Apple seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.2 today, which means it's going to see a public launch imminently. Release candidates represent the final version of new software that will be provided to the public should no last minute bugs be found, and Apple includes release notes with the RC launch. The iOS 18.2 release notes provide a look at all of the new features that are coming...
Apple AI Command Center Concept Mock 3

Apple Expected to Launch This All-New Device Next Year

Wednesday November 27, 2024 1:05 pm PST by
Apple is expected to kick off 2025 by launching an all-new smart home hub, also referred to as a "command center," as early as March. The hub is expected to feature around a six-inch display that can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. The device is said to run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and it is expected...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Friday December 6, 2024 4:42 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature

iPhone 17 'Air' Expected to Be ~2mm Thinner Than iPhone 16 Pro

Friday December 6, 2024 4:07 pm PST by
In 2025, Apple is planning to debut a thinner version of the iPhone that will be sold alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This iPhone 17 "Air" will be about two millimeters thinner than the current iPhone 16 Pro, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The iPhone 16 Pro is 8.25mm thick, so an iPhone 17 that is 2mm thinner would come in at around 6.25mm. At 6.25mm,...
iPhone 14 Pro Display Two Times Brighter Feature

Every Display Upgrade Rumored for Apple's iPhone 17

Friday December 6, 2024 5:14 am PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 lineup may bring some of the most significant display improvements we've seen in recent years. While the iPhone 17 series isn't expected until late 2025, multiple rumors suggest Apple is working on substantial screen upgrades across its entire smartphone range. From enhanced refresh rates to advanced materials and improved power efficiency, these display...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by
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 sometime 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...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

Thursday December 5, 2024 10:03 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the fourth betas. Alongside the release candidate versions of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating system updates, Apple has also seeded the watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and HomePod Software 18.2 RCs....
open ai logo

OpenAI Launches $200/Month ChatGPT Pro Plan

Thursday December 5, 2024 4:19 pm PST by
OpenAI today announced the launch of ChatGPT Pro, a $200 per month subscription service that provides unlimited access to OpenAI o1, the company's newest and most advanced large language model. The plan includes unlimited use of OpenAI o1, o1-mini, GPT-4o, and Advanced Voice, along with o1 pro mode, an o1 version that uses more compute to provide better answers to the hardest problems. In...