GettyFans of Apple products were delighted when three new iPhone models were announced on Wednesday, September 12.
These new models are the iPhone XS (£999 with 64GB), iPhone XS Max (£1,049 with 64GB) and iPhone XR (£749 with 64GB), and have caused the same flurry of excitement once reserved for album launches and film premieres.
iPhone XS and XS Max preorders will kick off this Friday, September 14, with sales beginning as of next Friday, September 21.
Preorders for the iPhone XR will begin October 19 with the phone going on sale October 26. No doubt many tech nerds will have now decided what’s at the top of their Christmas list…
As reported by The Guardian, Forrester analyst, Thomas Husson said:
With the new iPhone X line-up and its pricing repositioning, Apple demonstrates once again it excels at extending the lifecycle of its product portfolio through incremental innovation, impressive technical specifications boosting the performance of its devices and smart marketing.
At the unveiling event, which took place at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple’s futuristic Apple Park, the tech giant also announced the Apple Watch Series 4, complete with enhanced cellular connectivity, improved processor and a variety of new health-tracking features.
As reported by USA Today, the new Apple watch has been endorsed by president of the American Heart Association, Dr. Ivor Benjamin, who’s described the product as having ‘great potential’ in terms of improving health proactivity.
Today, we pay our respect and remember when the new iPhone price was $199.00 and people got by with only 8gb. #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/uXF0mUkh4M
— Anthony White (@AnthonyWhiteTX) September 12, 2018
However, fans couldn’t help but notice how four older models had been quietly discontinued; with the iPhone X, the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, and the iPhone SE no longer available for purchase through Apple’s website.
Apple has also seemingly moved away from AirPower, the wireless charging product announced just last year.
Although the discontinuation of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus may come as no surprise, consumers may not have expected the popular and relatively affordable iPhone SE – which was updated only last year – to be shelved just yet.
The dropping of iPhone X comes as a particular shock, seeng as though it was only launched less than a year ago.
So Apple's solution to people not wanting to pay $1,000 for the iPhone X was to discontinue it and charge $1,000 for the iPhone Xs instead? #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/h8I7HqUsq9
— K E V I N (@KevChestnut) September 12, 2018
Why is it being discontinued? I was confused with it's absence at the press conference too…
— Liam Thompson (@Toamastar) September 12, 2018
I'm still rockin' an iPhone SE and I'll continue to do so
— Isaac Howard (@bugman850) September 12, 2018
Surprisingly still kept iPhone 7
— Danny Shin (@theDannyShin) September 12, 2018
Confused Apple customers took to Twitter to try to work out why Apple would give such popular products the boot.
One person suggested:
They want people to buy the newer products, and ensure X becomes some sort of a collectible. What better way than to suddenly discontinue the X.
Another said:
They are removed, this tactic is generally called, forcing indirectly customers to buy new products.
Still love using my SE and will probably continue using it for as long as I possibly can, meaning as long as Apple releases an iOS update for it.
— Jonas Jan Busselen (@electrrricity) September 12, 2018
They want people to buy the newer products, and ensure X becomes some sort of a collectible. What better way than to suddenly discontinue the X
— UN (@hrickuddipta) September 12, 2018
They are removed, this tactic is generally called, forcing indirectly customers to buy new products.
— Kumar Akshat (@kr_akshat) September 12, 2018
How many of you are going to be queueing for these then?
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.