Reports indicates that the availability of the iPhone X crossed the 50% mark in the past few days. The lowest-priced iPhone X, the entry-level version which has a storage capacity of 64GB, now has an availability level of 44% while the 256GB version has an availability level of 63%. With regards to carriers, the versions that are meant for the Sprint network have an availability level of 30% while the versions designed for AT&T have an availability level of 71%.
An analysis conducted by Cowen and Co has also concluded that there is a preference by shoppers for cheaper iPhone models. This is an indication that shoppers are of the view that the $999 starting price of the iPhone does not seem justified when the new technologies it has are taken into account. According to Karl Ackerman, an analyst at Cowen and Co, the waiting times have also shortened from weeks to days.
Sales momentum
“Some investors may conclude this relates to better sales momentum for the X, but we are increasingly concerned that demand has been below initial expectations as users appear to have gravitated toward the previous iPhone models,” wrote Ackerman in a client note.
Per Ackerman Apple is expected to sell around 79 million iPhones when all models are taken into account in the third quarter which will end in December. This is an increase of one million units from a year ago. In the quarter starting January next year the Cupertino, California-based tech giant is expected to sell around 56 million iPhones. This will be higher than the number of units sold last year but still below the 61 million units that were sold in 2015 following the release of the iPhone 6.
Global market share
Counterpoint, a market research firm, has also reported that the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone 8 were the best-selling smartphones globally in the month of October. The iPhone 8 had a 4.6% market share globally while the iPhone 8 Plus had a 4% market share. Galaxy Note 8 on the other hand had a market share of 2.4% and took the third position while Galaxy S8 Plus was in fourth position.
