It's that time of year, and we can't stay calm. Come September, and Apple generally launches a new iPhone every year. And this year it is unlikely to be different.
You'd imagine the tech world would be a bit blasé about new iPhone launches by now. But no. When Apple officially announced its next big event at the Steve Jobs Theater on the company’s Cupertino, California, campus, on September 12, the online world was buzzing with excitement.
Apple is widely expected to unveil three new iPhones, including one with a larger display, at the event. Technology news website 9to5Mac posted a photograph of two gold iPhone models stacked on top of each other, which it said represented the new products.
It said the new 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch iPhones will be called iPhone XS and iPhone X Plus, and will come in a new gold option, which was not available in the earlier iPhone X models. The 6.5-inch model will be the largest iPhone so far. Prices for these phones are expected to start at $1,000.
Speculation had mounted that Apple was planning a gold-coloured iPhone after the event's invitations also used the gold colour. Until now, the iPhone X was only available in silver or grey.
Media reports said the company is also expected to unveil a cheaper option which uses older LCD technology, instead of OLED technology like the iPhone X.
Apple shares hit record highs after it announced the September 12 event. Bloomberg said Apple hit the 1 billion active device milestone in early 2016 and that number had grown to 1.3 billion in the early part of this year. It added that the three new iPhones have a good chance to add to “this important foundation of the company’s future”.
Over the years, Apple products have acquired a cult status across the world. We’ve all seen snaking queues for iPhones the day they hit the market. It's been 10 years since the iPhone debuted in India in August 2008. But it still has a barely 2-3% share of the smartphone market. In fact, India's reaction to the iPhone X was rather tepid. Will the new models help the premium smartphone lift sales in India? Pricing will, obviously, be key. The price of the iPhone X can go up to more than Rs 1 lakh, the price of a piece of heirloom jewellery or a shawl.
I've been a faithful iPhone user for 10 years. And my iPhone 6 is now on its last legs. I'm excited about the new models. But will I fork out a fortune for a new model? Probably not. Think I'll just go for an older model when prices drop. Who cares about bragging rights.
