A rebooted iPhone SE (pictured) isn’t
what Apple needs, even if it’s what you want (Image Credit: TechRadar)
It’s no
surprise – a slow performance in China amid a worldwide slowdown in the
smartphone market is making things incredibly challenging for Apple at a time
when spending on a new handset is being considered more carefully than ever
before.
People are
holding onto their smartphones for longer because they’re still performing –
they weren’t cheap when purchased a couple of years ago, and the high-end
features then are still performing now.
It means Tim Cook and co. will likely
be scratching their heads, wondering how to turn the tide. Could the answer be
the much-rumored, fan-backed iPhone SE 2?
So
could new, cheaper handsets be the answer in getting Apple’s handset business
back on track?
Apple has refused to
step below the premium tier in the smartphone market to date, and while the iPhone XR is more
affordable than the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, it still
carries a hefty price tag which keeps it out of reach for many.
However,
before you get all giddy about the prospect of a new mid-range and compact
iPhone SE 2, realize it’s highly unlikely to ever happen.
There’s an image to uphold
IDC’s
Associate Vice President for Devices, Francisco Jeronimo told us
“launching a mid-range handset [such as an iPhone SE 2] would be good for
short-term interest, but it won’t help the brand in the long term as the image
of Apple is premium…it’s much better to sell discounted older and refurbished
devices as it keeps Apple’s band at the high level.”
That’s
why Apple offers its trade-in service, something Jeronimo believes it’ll
continue to push heavily, as it not only provides a way for customers to
upgrade to the latest phone sooner by cutting down on the new device’s upfront
cost, but also allows Apple to make a second margin on an older phone by
repairing and then reselling it.
The
key thing to spur a new smartphone purchase is either an old model not working
as well, or the latest device being so appealing that not upgrading becomes
impossible.
So
to offset this, whenever Apple launches a new iPhone series, it cuts the price
of the previous generation, moving the handsets towards a more mid-range price
point, rather than producing dedicated devices for the price point which would
have to, in some way, compromise on Apple’s premium aesthetic.
This
way, even if you opt to buy a ‘cheaper’ iPhone, you’ll still be getting a
handset which was once at the top of the pile.
Apple still sells the iPhone7 and 7 Plus – launched as flagships in 2016 – through
its website, and at less than half the cost of the new iPhone XS and XS Max,
they provide a clear entry to point to the ecosystem for those on tighter
budgets.
Trade-in
is offered across all the iPhones it currently sells, allowing you to reduce
the cost of the cheaper, older handsets too.
The 5G and services solution
Asfor where Apple goes from here, Jeronimo told TechRadar that he sees short and
long term ways the firm will look to revert the slump back into growth, without
launching a specifically mid-range handset.
Part
of the short-term action, he posits, is the trade-in service Apple offers, but
it’s what’s available on your iPhone which is where a lot of money can be made
quickly.
That’s why the brand
even held a standalone event for the first time in its history earlier this
year for new Services, to unveil products that weren’t hardware, in the shape
of Apple News Plus, AppleTV Plus and AppleArcade.
Revenue
from Services is now almost 50% of the revenue of the iPhone business, showing
huge growth thanks to the likes of Apple Music, Apple Pay, the App Store and the new additions will
only bolster this further.
By
getting more and more iPhone users to sign up to these services, Apple won’t
need to worry as much about pushing consumers to upgrade to the latest iPhone,
as they’ll be able to make significant revenue from these services no matter
the model in a person’s hand.
Apple News Plus was announced in March 2019
(Image Credit: Apple)
Looking longer term, and
it’s 5G which
could be another big revenue driver for iPhone, as Jeronimo explains.
“5G
will have an impact on providing an incentive to replace your phone, but it
won’t happen this year, as it will cost quite a lot and the [network] coverage
won’t be that high.
This is something that
Cook alluded to strongly in the recent earnings call, where – when questioned
about adding 5G to the iPhone – he mentioned the highcost of components, and only when the price point Apple desired
could be reached would they consider adding new technology.
“5G will have a strong impact [on
the upgrade market] when consumers who purchased iPhones in 2018/2019/2020 are
ready to upgrade [to a 5G phone] in 3-5 years time,” added Jeronimo.
With rumors suggesting we won’t get a 5G iPhone until 2020 or 2021 at the earliest,
there’s no short-term gain for Apple from the fifth generation network, but at
least by the time a 5G iPhone does emerge the networks will be more mature and
the services offered more robust, meaning the Cupertino brand is likely holding
out until the improved connection offers some real, material benefits.
Whether the mix of trade-in upgrades,
refurbs and a buffet of services will be able to recover Apple’s lost revenue
remains to be seen, it’ll take a few years for the true impact of these models
to be fully realized, but for now Apple fans should mourn the iPhone SE 2: the
affordable, compact and modern iPhone that never was.
