Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) revealed its very first iPhone, which happened to be the first smartphone as we know it today, 10 years ago…
This is a special anniversary for Apple, and it would be poor marketing if the company didn’t take advantage of this milestone for both the company and the technology market.
Apple users and even critics can’t help but wonder what to expect from Apple’s newest iPhone. And since it’s a milestone anniversary for Apple, you would think that the company would want to go big. It’s the perfect time for the company to reveal something groundbreaking in its technology and products. After all, the tech giant needs to keep its loyal users hooked and new customers intrigued.
It’s been 10 years since the debut of the modern smartphone — Apple needs to share with the world that it’s still a market leader and will continue to be a market leader.
The anticipation for the milestone is building, especially after months of alleged “leaks” from “reliable sources.”
Apple plans to host its annual fall iPhone event on September 12th — announcing a range of products that includes two new iterative iPhone updates, the iPhone 8, a new Apple Watch, and a new 4K Apple TV.
I’m really hoping that Apple doesn’t disappoint when it comes time for its big iPhone 8 reveal…
Some Possible Features of the iPhone 8
Some of the already leaked, possible features that Apple may be announcing in September include:
- A virtual home button.
- Face recognition, instead of Touch ID.
- Wireless charging.
- Edge-to-edge OLED display.
- Augmented reality (AR) capabilities.
- Enhanced water resistance.
- Dual-lens camera (possibly vertical).
- Upgraded storage and memory that could start at 64GB and 3GB of RAM.
If Apple decided to incorporate AR capabilities and face-recognition features on the iPhone 8, it would create new opportunities for using smartphones. And it would also finally shift the smartphone market toward more innovation instead of playing it safe by upgrading existing features.
Carolina Milanesi, an analyst with market-research firm Creative Strategies, had this to say: “There’s going to be enough in this phone to lay the foundation for the future of computing as Apple thinks about it.”
In addition to the newest iPhone 8, we could see two minor S upgrades.
There are rumors that this high-end iPhone 8 could start selling in the range of $999 and $1,200 in the U.S. This may seem like a steep price for a new phone, but now that most wireless carriers offer payment plans, it probably won’t be that much of a deciding factor for consumers.
If Apple is able to make the iPhone 8 appealing enough with new features and also other reasons for the price hike, then consumers will believe that it’s still worth buying.
Will the iPhone 8 Be Ready This Year?
There have been rumors that Apple’s production is behind schedule for the iPhone 8 and that there’s a possibility its release could be delayed as far as 2018. If this were true, it would be bad news for Apple.
This would mean that the tech company would be missing out on holiday sales and would end the year on a disappointing note — especially for shareholders.
However, if Apple does unveil the iPhone 8 on September 12th during its keynote, we’ll know that there are no more glitches with production and that Apple is back on track.
Apple is a company that sticks to its routines. And this means that if we see the iPhone 8 unveiled during the keynote in September, we can definitely expect the phone to start selling 10 days after the keynote. This is what Apple has done in the past and will most likely continue to do in the future.
Market-research firm 451 Research reported that 52% of people planning to buy smartphones in the next 90 days said they would buy iPhones — the highest percentage since 2010.
The hype of the iPhone’s 10th anniversary is looming and is definitely increasing demand from current Apple users. It also has non-Apple users on the edge of their seats, waiting to find out what Apple has to offer. Because if the company offers a more enticing smartphone than it has in the past, it’ll give them some incentive to switch over to Apple.
This past Tuesday, the IDC research firm reported that it’s expecting Apple’s iPhone 8 to “spur a major upgrade cycle” in 2018 that will drive iPhone shipments up by 9.1%. So, not only will the holiday season bring in massive sales, but they will also continue throughout 2018, as well. Demand will be strong.
Demand from consumers and the expectations of strong sales during the holiday season has Apple’s stock rising. This has done wonders for Apple’s market capitalization — increasing it by 36%.
The only thing that we can do right now is to wait and see if Apple gives its keynote in September. And if it does, we can expect a strong end of the year for Apple.
Until next time,
Jennifer Clark
Pro Trader Today