All leaks for this year’s Apple launch event are pointing towards one basic thing – there will be three iPhones introduced on 12 September. All of them will take forward the design language of the iPhone X from 2017 and at least two of the lot are likely to cost more than $1,000 (Rs 72,000 approx).
But what interests us the most is the likelihood of getting the first iPhone with a big screen and the R, this time in the iPhone X avatar. Apple made big money with the iPhone X (especially with its top-end price tag) and it’s in no mood to put it on the back burner.
Having said that, the rumoured iPhone XR is likely to grab eyeballs, especially if the pricing is manageable.
Apple has been pretty late to the big-screen phone party, in which Android with brands like Xiaomi, Samsung and so many others are making merry over the years.
The iPhone X just about crossed the 6-inch size barrier and with the iPhone XS Max (that’s what leaks are calling), the dimensions are likely grow further. The popularity of iPhone X might suggest that people aren’t keen for iPhone screens to get any bigger, but that doesn’t mean the iPhone XS Max won’t interest them, especially if they are big spenders.
Big screen also offers the chance to make the best of the 19:9 ratio notch-totting display, and with iOS 12, we expect the notch experience to improve. However, we would still like the iPhone XS Max to pack a plus-size battery to support its power requirements.
Rumours suggest that it’ll get a $1,050 (Rs 72,600 approx) price tag, but it is likely to cost around Rs 1.2 lakh when it hits India.
The iPhone XS Max might appeal to those with big pockets and looking for the high-end iPhone variant in 2018 that suits their status.
Coming to the iPhone XR, the name itself has a lot of history, one that Apple didn’t make the best of with the iPhone 5C. This is supposed to be the cheaper of the lot (probably around 50-60K), considering how much the iPhone XS and XS Max will cost.
At this price range, the iPhone XR might not excite the mid-range phone buyers in India (who can choose between OnePlus 6 or the LG G7 ThinQ Plus). But people are merely excited by the prospect of having a dual-SIM supporting iPhone.
We are hopeful that Apple can finally realise its India potential and chalk out a different pricing strategy for this product. Doing so, will enable the Cupertino-based giant to lay a platform for its growth in the future.
The iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR will show that Apple is finally looking to follow industry standards. Apple has otherwise always been the one to set standards or start trends, like when it ditched the headphone jack and brought in the notch. But, will following standards come at a higher cost? Quite likely.
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