Analyst: iPhone XS Max more popular than XS, XR will beat them both
Apple's opening weekend pre-orders for the iPhone XS, XS Max and Apple Watch Series 4 are now done and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has some insight as to what's in hot and what's not.
In a note to investors Kuo discloses that the reception for the iPhone XS Max was great, as expected, but the demand for the 5.8-inch iPhone XS is lower than previously projected.
Kuo expects the iPhone XS Max to account for 25-30% of all new iPhone sales and has pushed back the iPhone XS to 10-15% share. Kuo expects the iPhone XR to grab 55-60% of the sales, once it gets to market in October.
The iPhone XS Max is a favorite in China thanks to key factors appreciated by Chinese buyers - the larger display, the dual SIM capabilities and the new gold color option.
The iPhone XS Max currently has shipping times of two to three weeks - shorter than what the iPhone X had at this point last year but Kuo credits this to an improvement in the supply chain rather than diminishing interest.
Kuo expects the new iPhones to be slightly more successful than last year's models, projecting 75-80 million shipped units until the end of 2018.
Finally, according to Kuo, the Apple Watch Series 4 has been in higher demand than previously expected. The new model has accounted to around 55% of pre-orders, more than the now-cheaper Series 3. Kuo projects that Apple will ship 18 million smartwatches this year.
The increased interest in the new Apple Watch Series 4 is mainly due to the innovative ECG functionality. Kuo expects sales to increase further if Apple secures regulatory approval for the ECG functionality and expand its support outside of the US.
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