Here’s why Apple is launching iPhone XR one month after iPhone XS | HT Tech

Here’s why Apple is launching iPhone XR one month after iPhone XS

Last year, Apple launched its affordable models iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus first. So, what changed this year?

By: KUL BHUSHAN
| Updated on: Sep 16 2018, 15:15 IST
Did software issues force Apple to delay iPhone XR sales?
Did software issues force Apple to delay iPhone XR sales? (AP)
Did software issues force Apple to delay iPhone XR sales?
Did software issues force Apple to delay iPhone XR sales? (AP)

Apple earlier this week launched three new smartphones, iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The smartphones, however, will not go on sale on the same date. The OLED models iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have got an early release date whereas the less expensive LCD model iPhone XR will be coming after a month.

Apple iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max is scheduled to go on sale in India on September 28. Apple iPhone XR will go on sale in India on October 26 with pre-booking starting on October 19.

Apple's decision to launch the lower-cost model on a later date has taken everyone by surprise. Last year, Apple launched the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in less than a month of the official announcement whereas the ultra expensive iPhone X launched in November, about a month after the announcement. So, what changed this year?

According to TheVerge, Apple's decision to delay shipping of iPhone XR is not really a planned marketing strategy but an outcome a myriad of technical challenges. The website reports that the company is facing software-related challenges for iPhone XR which sports a large Liquid Retina Display with a notch.

"Everything we've been hearing, it's been an issue on the software side," Ryan Reith, IDC's vice president of research on mobile devices, told the publication, "There's a lot of software involved with the LCD screen, as it's the first [LCD display] with a notch and full screen."

Another industry analyst Ben Stanton said, "Apple would not delay the launch of iPhone XR for any reason other than the device is not ready to be shipped at adequate volume. The constraint with the device is around the new LCD display, which has bottlenecked production." Apple iPhone XR vs XS vs XS Max: Specifications, features compared

Despite the delay, the industry pundits are bullish on the prospects of the 'affordable' iPhone XR. One of the things going for iPhone XR is that it looks identical to the expensive models. Experts believe consumers may be inclined towards the lower-cost model as it has more or less same features as iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The delay, however, may very well force consumers to go for iPhone XS Max for the bigger screen.

"Apple has heard there's a threshold for pricing. They realize there are a lot of people that won't go that high," Reith told the publication. "To the average consumer, the products will look the same from the outside... and this LCD device is a really good looking device." 

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First Published Date: 16 Sep, 15:12 IST
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