As feared by most analysts, it appears the new iPhone 7 duo from Apple will not be enough to put an end to the Cupertino firm’s sliding smartphone sales. According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus sales numbers are expected to be lower than that of the iPhone 6s duo from last year.
In his new note, the analyst has revealed that the iPhone 7 Plus shipments are higher than expected, mainly to the whole BatteryGate issue surrounding the Galaxy Note 7. The dual-camera setup on the iPhone 7 Plus has also been able to impress consumers, which is another reason behind the higher than expected numbers. In fact, iPhone 7 Plus shipments equaled those of the smaller 4.7-inch iPhone 7.
Unsurprisingly, the new Jet Black option has been found to be the most popular color option. Worldwide, the new color option reportedly accounted for between 30 to 35 percent of all pre-orders. In China, the color proved to be even more popular, where the new Jet Black color accounted for nearly 50 percent of pre-orders. Among the storage options, the mid-tier 128GB option has been found to be the most popular.
Thanks to the high demand for the iPhone 7 Plus, Kuo has revised his full-year estimate from 60-65 million to 70-75 million. Despite the forecast revision, overall numbers are still expected to be lower than last year, which means Apple could see year-over-year sales decline for the second year in a row.
As for the first weekend numbers, while Apple did not reveal any official figures this time, reports suggest that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus weekend sales were lower by 25 percent. Not very surprising though, as Apple played it safe this year and did not introduce any major change in the design department. The displays too remain more or less identical, lagging behind Android rivals in terms of the resolution.
Via: 9To5Mac
