The next major entry in the iPhone line is still some time away from what we can tell, and while Apple aren’t planning a direct successor to the iPhone 6 in terms of the model name, they are reportedly going to release some specialized new editions of the iPhone 6 with different specifications that should satisfy the needs of users across various market segments.
The rumors talk about two devices in particular, the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus – and while neither of those is the iPhone 7, both should come with various features that will be attractive to users who want something new and more modern from the iPhone line. They’re not just going to refine the exterior of the phone with new size options, but both phones are also going to come with various improvements in their hardware that should make for the perfect iOS experience.
According to the most prominent rumors about the hardware specifications of both phones, we’re going to get an A9 chip in both, something which should result in a significant boost in performance over the A8 that could be found in previous entries in the line. We’ve been hearing some pretty impressive claims about the added performance of the A9 chip, and hopefully Apple are going to live up to the hype once the new device arrives.
What about the actual sizes? Both phones are likely going to bring some changes to the familiar form factor of the iPhone 6, and it’s very likely that one of them is going to be in a similar spirit like the iPhone 5C which was a cheaper version of the main device. What’s more, some have been claiming that Apple could keep the budget price point of the device while also improving its hardware specifications, something which could secure a very attractive position on the market for them if they pull it off right.
That’s one of the main criticisms aimed at Apple right now – that they are offering all of their phones for too much money, and that they should cut down on their prices a little bit if they want to stay competitive. And while some time ago, it would have been smart to say that the company obviously doesn’t need to do that as they are enjoying a pretty good market share already, the situation has been a bit different lately.
Apple have been clearly losing market share in certain parts of the world, even their main markets where they used to enjoy so much popularity. Meanwhile, Android has been catching up, and Windows Phone has seen an increase in some markets as well. Because of this, Apple might soon find themselves in a lot of trouble if they don’t revise their pricing plans and try to come up with something more competitive.
Their main selling point right now is that they’re a luxury brand, but various other companies have managed to come out with their own luxury phones in the last few years, and some of them even cost less than the latest iPhone.
Because of this, whatever the company is planning for their next additions to the line, they should be careful. There is definitely still a lot of potential for the iPhone on the market and the device line could see a lot more success if Apple play their cards right, but they should watch their sales a little more closely and pay attention to what people are willing to pay for a device of this class.