While some suggest that Apple’s 2019 iPhones may not necessarily be a worthwhile investment without 5G connectivity, the vast majority of existing iPhone owners are still interested in upgrading according to a recent survey.
Mike Wuerthele and Malcolm Owen for AppleInsider:
A survey by smartphone and electronics buyback firm Decluttr suggests analyst expectations on consumer behavior for the iPhone 11 may be an underestimation. According to the survey of 2,003 smartphone owners at the start of August, 82% of consumers claimed the speculation and rumors of a lack of updates to the iPhone 11 “hasn’t changed their intent to purchase,” or became more interested in purchasing the models. The remaining 18% were swayed by the rumors, making them less inclined towards the new releases.
Pricing remains a major factor in whether or not consumers upgrade to the newest model. Approximately 19% of consumers are willing to pay more than $1,000 for a smartphone, with 82% saying they could pay between $500 and $1,000. The price sensitivity could affect the sales of upper-tier models if they are priced into four figures, or could push more consumers towards acquiring the cheaper iPhone XR replacement.
Of iPhone users surveyed, 64% either didn’t know when 5G was coming to an Apple device, or believe it is already available to use. Only 9% were aware of the difference between 5G and 5GE, AT&T’s name for its improved network in some locations. Further emphasizing the point that there is mass consumer confusion about 5G, the survey found that about 28% of people had the impression 5G will increase data storage space on their devices, and 16% thought 5G improves screen resolution. Ultimately, only 25% of those surveyed agree it was important to own a smartphone with 5G, whereas a vague “faster performance” need remained the most important feature improvement at 64%.
MacDailyNews Take: Can’t wait for those 5G Retina displays!
Of course, iPhone could have [no new features] and still sell 40+ million units every 90 days. And, also of course, Apple will have a new A13 that’s more efficient along with iOS 13 which will also improve efficiency, so better battery life is likely in the offing. New cameras, especially on the back, along with new features for Apple’s Camera app are a given and will be the major focus for selling these pre-5G placeholder iPhones to customers through fall 2020 when The Mother of All iPhone Upgrade Cycles™ finally hits! — MacDailyNews, August 18, 2019
As for AT&T peddling ‘fake 5G’ with their misleading “5GE” moniker:
The “G E” stands for Gigantic Exaggeration.
“ATT” stands for Attempts To Trick.
“5G E.” Ugh. False advertising by any other name would smell as foul. — MacDailyNews, January 9, 2019