Apple has increased the price for its latest Pro Max model by $100 in the US.
Apple is offering better trade-in values for N-2 or N-3 devices compared to last year to help upgrade its older-generation base.
The Pro Max price increase to $1,199 is mostly a result of an upgrade to a titanium chassis as well as a telephoto camera.
iPhone 15 promotions are slightly worse compared to last year, especially with the higher price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Apple has released its new iPhone 15 series, confirming the price increase for the Pro Max model by $100 in the US. This is the first time since the Pro series launched in 2019 that Apple has raised its prices. Apple’s carrier promotions have softened slightly compared to the iPhone 14 launch while trade-in values for N-1 devices (newest generation minus one, i.e. iPhone 14) have also decreased. Apple is offering better trade-in values for N-2 or N-3 devices compared to last year to help upgrade its older-generation base.
New pricing for Pro Max – Now at $1,199 for base model
The Pro Max price increase to $1,199 is mostly a result of an upgrade to a titanium chassis as well as a telephoto camera, which will allow for 5x optical zoom with a 120mm lens. The base model now also comes with 256GB of storage. This price increase may change consumer purchasing patterns and potentially have repercussions for Apple’s overall ASP as consumers may decide to purchase more affordable models this time around. It may be noted here that the 256GB iPhone 14 Pro Max also retailed for $1,199.
US promotions decrease slightly
US carriers Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T generally have the same top-line promotions for the highest tiered plans on Apple’s website as last year’s iPhone 14 launch. This means that both AT&T and T-Mobile will offer up to $1,000 off on devices with a qualifying trade-in and eligible plan. Verizon remains the outlier, offering a discount of only $800. However, Verizon and T-Mobile’s lower-tiered plans have seen a decrease in value. This means that iPhone 15 promotions are slightly worse compared to last year, especially with the higher price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
This comes at a time when carriers are seeing historically low upgrade rates and smartphone purchases are being delayed as consumers continue to face economic uncertainty. Nevertheless, we believe the iPhone 15 has the potential to be another big upgrade cycle for Apple, especially for the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 owners as they look to upgrade their three- to four-year-old devices.
Trade-in Values Have Decreased for N-1 Models, But Apple is Pushing its Older Base to Upgrade
Although the discounts offered have largely remained the same, the pure trade-in values of N-1 devices have fallen, again. When the iPhone 13 series launched, customers could get a maximum of $790 in trade-in value for their old iPhone 12 Pro Max. This trade-in value dropped to $720 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max when the iPhone 14 series released last year. This year’s iPhone 15 launch saw trade-in values drop to $650 for the iPhone 14 Pro Max as the highest-value trade-in device.
Compared to the years before, Apple is putting a stronger focus on offering better trade-in values for its N-2 and N-3 models such as the iPhone 13 series and iPhone 12 series. Trade-in values for N-2 models have increased 9%-28% YoY for this year’s launch. This also shows that Apple wants to incentivize customers to upgrade their older models to the latest iPhone 15 while signaling to the iPhone 14 users to hold off for now. In fact, these trade-in values could potentially be more attractive to customers than carrier deals, especially if they are not on the highest tiered plans available. This might lead to more customers purchasing an unlocked device directly from Apple rather than opting for a carrier promotion offered by Apple.
At the launch of theiPhone 15andWatch 9series this week, Apple mentioned that it was on track to release theApple Vision Pro, which it announced in June this year, in early 2024. It has also included some features in the new iPhone and Apple Watch that are consistent with its Vision Pro development:
一个double-finger点击手势可以用来选择actions in the Apple Watch 9.The gesture uses a mix of sensor inputs processed by the Watch 9’s upgraded neural engine to identify the prompt. While the Apple Vision Pro uses cameras to spot gestures, the new Watch interactions will engender the use of subtle hand gestures that will also be used to interact with the Apple Vision Pro.
The new iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max cameras can record images and videos stereoscopically.When viewed via the Vision Pro, the images and videos will have depth and provide a more immersive experience.
In our analysis of theApple Vision Pro, we highlight that it is the most complex consumer electronics product ever made. And it is already causing a shift in approach by its rivals.
Nevertheless, we still believe that Apple is using the Vision Pro essentially as an insurance policy. The majority of Apple’s revenue and profit is derived from the iPhone product line, and related products and accessories – Watch, for example, would not exist without iPhone.
因此,iPhone是苹果的核心几乎是2美元。75-trillion market cap (at the time of writing). Apple is bound to do anything in its power to defend the iPhone’s market position.
For a long time, people have speculated that the product most likely to replace the smartphone as their primary interface with digital life will be some sort of augmented reality device. So far, the eXtended Reality (XR) market has been disappointing – generating a few 10s of millions of unit sales but not a huge amount of consistent usage, apart from some niche enterprise use cases. Furthermore, the technical challenge of making true augmented reality glasses has proven to be beyond the capabilities of even the most technically gifted companies.
Apple is therefore not immediately threatened by the slowly developing XR industry. But would it be wise for it to sit on the sidelines and watch while potential competitors work on what might, one day, be a product that can truly compete with its iPhone revenue stream? Of course not, and it hasn’t.
For Apple, the worst possible outcome would be if the XR segment took off strongly and it did not have a product in the game. Even if Apple spends a few billion dollars developing its XR products and the market still doesn’t take off, it would be costly but scarcely make a dent in its ample cash reserves.
So, Apple has made the logical choice and invested in creating the Apple Vision Pro. Along the way, it has amassed an impressively large patent portfolio that it can use to defend its position.
If, ultimately, the XR market does take off, Apple will be in a prime position to exploit the opportunity. However, if it continues to behave as an interesting niche market, then Apple has cemented its place by having a product that will be used to measure all others.
Apple announced the anticipated Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 on September 12.
Both watches will come with Apple’s new S9 SiP, powering several new features.
The launch comes amid a slump in Apple Watch shipments over the last three quarters.
While new features and hardware make the devices a notable upgrade over their predecessors, macroeconomic conditions may undermine the success of these devices.
Apple announced two new Watches – the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Watch Ultra 2 – at its launch event on Tuesday, September 12. The two devices feature several key updates over their predecessors that, on their own, are impressive. However, amid a slump in Apple Watch shipments, will the upgrades be enough to get buying consumers to the store?
Apple’s S9 SiP Brings New Features and Functionality
Central among the upgrades for both the Apple Watch S9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2is theS9 SiP –the first new processor in an Apple Watch since the 2020 Apple Watch S6– which is a big deal. The new S9 SiP features over 60% more transistors, giving a 30% speed boost to its GPU. The chip also features a quad-core neural engine that is twice as fast as that on the Apple Watch Series 8, enabling improved on-device machine learning and AI functionality. Additionally, the S9 SiP features improved power efficiency, helping the Apple Watch S9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 achieve a battery life of 18 hours and 36 hours, respectively.
The upgraded performance of the S9 SiP enables several new features on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Notably, Siri will now operate on-device, making it faster and more reactive to users’ needs. The improved neural engine also makes dictation up to 25% more accurate, which should reduce the frustration users have when Siri misunderstands their requests. Users will also now be able to ask Siri to log health information or to reply to them with key health metrics. This should be helpful for when users are in the middle of a workout and are unable to look at their watch faces.
Apple Watch Series 9 from Apple’s Announcement
The updated neural engine also powers one of the event’s biggest Apple Watch announcements –the new double-tap gesture。用户现在可以双击自己的食指和their thumb on their watch-wearing hand to accept or decline calls, start and stop music, snooze alarms, and more. This feature will be very convenient for users whose other hand is occupied with another task. The neural engine processes data from the watch’s gyroscope, accelerometer, and heart-rate sensor to bring this feature to life. It’s also worth noting that the double-tap gesture is used for the Apple Vision Pro. It seems Apple is slowly introducing its consumers to the vocabulary of gestures that will drive its spatial computing devices.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 from Apple’s Announcement
Brighter Displays
Another upgrade to the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 was in their display technology. While the previous Apple Watch Series 8 and Watch Ultra featured displays of 1,000 nits and 2,000 nits of brightness at their brightest level. The Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 feature up to 2,000 nits of brightness and 3,000 nits of brightness, respectively. This will make reading the display in bright outdoor settings much easier, which should be especially attractive to outdoors enthusiasts as well as athletes.
Sustainability Engineered into the Apple Watch S9 and Ultra 2
Apple engineered sustainability into the DNA of its new Apple Watches. From the materials used in the devices to shipping methods, Apple made a serious effort to reduce its carbon footprint. In fact, when paired with specific bands,Apple Watch S9 and Ultra 2 are carbon neutral.Apple also announced that with recent measures, last year’s Apple Watch SE 2 is now carbon neutral with specific bands, making Apple’s entire lineup of latest watches carbon neutral. This sets a high bar for competitors who will feel the pressure to implement similar measures.
To achieve this feat, Apple moved to replace all cobalt in its Apple Watch batteries with recycled cobalt and moved to use 95% recycled materials for the casing of the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Additionally, Apple is shipping a higher number of units via ocean rather than air, which significantly lowers carbon emissions.
Pricing and Availability
Despite the upgraded chip, pricing for the new Apple Watch S9 matches that of its predecessor, at $399 for the 41mm version and $429 for the 45mm version. The price for the cellular versions each cost $100 more. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 maintains the same price as its predecessor at $799. Consumers can trade-in their current smartwatch for up to $380 off through the Apple website.
*This section of the blog will be updated as major carriers and retailers announce their promotions.
Will the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 end the company’s Watch slump?
Apple’s smartwatch shipments have been in a slump. Since 2022, record levels of inflation caused consumers in North America and Western Europe to hold off on non-essential purchases, including smartwatches. This hurt Apple Watch sales, which were down 10% in Q2 2023 with YoY declines for three straight quarters. Due to this, Apple haslost sharein the global smartwatch market. Although macroeconomic conditions continue to impact consumers as they spend more on things like rent, mortgages, loan repayments, the updated chip in the Apple Watch S9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 gives consumers a legitimate reason to upgrade from their Apple Watch S7 or earlier device. However, despite the upgraded hardware and new features, consumers’ budgets may be too strapped to make the upgrade. Therefore, promotions may play the deciding role in the success of Apple’s new devices.
The USB Type-C connector is the biggest upgrade for the iPhone 15 series.
The regular iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus now feature the Dynamic Island.
Pro models get the latest A17 Pro SoC and 5x optical zoom camera.
It is mid-September and time to talk about the new and shiny iPhones. Yes, Apple just announced its latest iPhone 15 series and there are a lot of changes it brings, even if some are just incremental. As usual, there are four new models in the series – the base iPhone 15, the slightly bigger iPhone 15 Plus, and then the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.
The biggest change for the entire iPhone 15 line-up is the switch to the USB Type-C connectivity port, which is now a universally accepted standard. However, Apple has still managed to add differentiation between the regular and Pro models in terms of transfer speeds. There are many other significant changes that the new iPhones bring to the table, so let us dive right in to talk about them.
WATCH: iPhone 15 series, Apple Watch Series 9, Watch Ultra 2: First Impressions
iPhone 15 Pro, Pro马克斯:钛的身体,行动的屁股on, A17 Pro SoC and more
The iPhone 15 Pro models bring the absolute best that Apple has to offer. Both the Pro models feature a titanium body with a brushed finish and rounded edges. The glass at the back has a textured matte finish. All this adds to their gorgeous look and feel, while also making them lighter.
Source: Apple
Thealert slider,一直以来第一代iPhone model, is finally going and being replaced with theAction Button。This new button can be configured to perform quick tasks, like switching on the torchlight, camera or voice recorder. All you need to do is press and hold the Action Button to quickly launch those functions. But sadly, it can only be configured to perform one function, and there is no double- or triple-press function, which is a missed opportunity.
The latest A17 Pro SoC powers the iPhone 15 Pro series:
It is built on TSMC’s 3nm process.
It has a six-core CPU (two performance cores and four efficiency cores).
It has 19 billion transistors.
It has a six-core GPU with shader architecture and ray tracing.
It has a 16-core Neural Engine (2x faster with 35 TOPS).
Source: Apple
The CPU and GPU bring faster performance and better efficiency than the predecessor. But the biggest takeaway here is theray tracingandimproved mobile gamingcapabilities that Apple spoke at length. Console games likeResident Evil Village,Resident Evil 4andAssassin’s Creed Mirageare coming to the iPhone 15 Pro, clearly showing how Apple is getting serious about unlocking the Pro models’ capabilities.
The next big upgrade comes in the photography department. Both smartphones feature:
48MP main camera, 24mm wide, f/1.8 aperture, 1/1.28-inch sensor size with 1.22um pixels, sensor-shift OIS
The biggest difference between the Pro and Pro Max camera systems is in the zooming capabilities of the telephoto lens. Both feature a 12MP camera with f/2.8 aperture telephoto lens. But while theiPhone 15 Pro hasa77mmequivalent lens enabling3x optical zoom,iPhone 15 Pro Maxhas a120mmequivalent lens enabling5x optical zoom。This is enabled by the newtetraprism designandfolded glassstructure, allowing for a compact design compared to the bulky camera modules of competitors with periscope lenses.
Source: Apple
Utilizing the power ofcomputational photography,iPhone 15 Pro Max also offers seven different focal lengths – 13 mm using the ultrawide lens; 24mm, 28mm and 35mm from the main 48MP wide lens; and 48mm and 120mm using the 12MP tele lens. In the case of the 15 Pro, you still get seven different focal lengths, but instead of 120mm, you get a maximum of 77mm.
Apple has one more trick up its sleeve in offering differentiated features on the premium Pro models. The cameras can also capture空间的视频using the ultrawide and main cameras to create a3D video。Users can then relive these memories on theApple Vision Pro。
Source: Apple
In terms of other features, both the iPhone Pros feature LTPO Super Retina XDR displays with120Hz adaptive refresh rate, support for HDR10, and Dolby Vision, with a maximum peak brightness of 2000nits. The iPhone 15 Pro is offered in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage variants. The Pro Max model base storage starts at 256GB and goes all the way up to 1TB. Both smartphones are also IP68-rated for water and dust resistance. Besides the Satellite SoS and Crash Detection, Apple has also addedRoadside Assistance via satellitefeature. There is also a newsecond-generation UWBchip which will help in connecting with other devices such as iPhones, Apple Watch, and AirTag from up to three times farther away.
Source: Apple
Lastly, the iPhone 15 Pro series getsUSB-C 3with up to10Gb/second transfer speeds。Users can also use USB-C to USB-C cable to charge the updated AirPods Pro and Apple Watch with the iPhone’sreverse wired chargingfeature.
Source: Apple
iPhone 15, 15 Plus: Dynamic Island, 48MP main camera and more
Coming to the iPhone 15 series there are two big changes compared to the iPhone 14 series. Both devices now come with theDynamic Island, which is Apple’s pill-shaped notch. Leveraging the developer ecosystem Apple is expanding its utility to show more details such as sports scores, and even flight information, from timing to the gate and even seat details.
Source: Apple
With the iPhone 6s, Apple switched from an 8MP camera to a 12MP main camera. But since then, till the iPhone 14, there have been no major camera upgrades. So, the48MPprimary camera on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus brings a significant upgrade now. It also has awider f/1.6 apertureover the iPhone 14 Pro’s f/1.8 aperture, enabling better low-light photography experiences. Making use of the larger sensor, the iPhone 15 also gets2x lossless zoom支持。主要的相机是搭配了一个12 mp f / 2.4 aperture ultrawide angle lens.
Source: Apple
Under the hood, theiPhone 15and15 Plusare powered by theA16 Bionic SoCfrom the iPhone 14 Pro series, which is already known to offer great performance. We have already covered the same in ouriPhone 14 Pro review, and we can expect the same level of performance on the 15 series now.
Source: Apple
Apple iPhone 15 series pricing, sale date
With all the new changes, Apple has still managed to price the iPhones well. The base iPhone 15 model will retail starting at $799, whereas the iPhone 15 Plus will be available starting from $899. The iPhone 15 Pro, on the other hand, will start at $999. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max sees a slight price change, getting dearer by $100, and will start at $1,199. They go on pre-order starting September 15 and will be available starting September 22.
Apple’s iPhone 14 series, especially the Pro models, brings more than incremental changes compared to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 12 series. Apple has been widening the capabilities gap between the Pro and base models. For example, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max feature the latest A16 Bionic SoC made on TSMC’s 4nm process, while the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are powered by TSMC’s 5nm-based A15 Bionic SoC. The 14 Pro series also features an advanced camera system, Pro Motion display design with intuitive Dynamic Island, and more.
iPhone 14 Pro most successful iPhone model
Ever since Apple introduced the Pro and Pro Max models with its iPhone 11 series, the iPhone 14 Pro models have proved to be the most popular Pro series. According to Counterpoint’sGlobal Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker,iPhone 14 Pro model’svolumesandrevenuesin its first year of global release almost doubled compared to that of the iPhone 11 Pro model for the same period, driving record iPhone revenues for Apple. Further, the iPhone 14 Pro was consistently among the top three best-selling smartphone models globally for every quarter since its launch. This helped Apple dominate the premium market, with the iPhone 14 Pro alone contributing 13% volume for the above-mentioned period. The top three markets contributing to the iPhone 14 Pro’s growth were the US, China, and UK.
其他e are a few other reasons contributing to the 14 Pro’s success, including the primary camera getting the much-needed bump to 48MP resolution, and the five-core GPU. Apple also improved its ProMotion display by adding an always-on display feature and refresh rate that can go from 1Hz to 120Hz. Lastly, the Pro models also come with a pill-shaped floating notch that Apple calls Dynamic Island, a good differentiator from the iPhone 14 model.
Key differentiators for iPhone 14 Pro
Dynamic island: A notch above
Ahead of the iPhone 14 launch, there were rumors of Apple going with a new pill-shaped floating notch design. But Apple surprised everyone by adding a cool software trick and making it very meaningful for its power users and developers. Calling itDynamic Island, Apple has made this new take on the infamous notch a little more fun, interactive and useful. It is nearly a year since we have been using the iPhone 14 Pro, and the Dynamic Island seems like a good differentiator.
它包含two parts – a physical island that houses the camera and sensors, and a virtual island on the display. As the iPhone features an OLED display, all the pixels go completely black, making the cutout and virtual island blend well to appear like one large cutout capsule. This approach is quite innovative and changes completely the conversation around the notch.
When you get important alerts, Dynamic Island adapts and expands in real time to show these notifications on the status bar. You can also tap and interact with the notification content of this expanded capsule. Dynamic Island is also a good multi-tasking option for supported apps, giving you quick access to apps, rather than swiping up and holding to scroll through the background apps.
Dynamic Island initially launched with first-party and a few ecosystem apps, showing notifications for apps like Timer, Maps, AirDrop and Apple Music and even for charging, wireless charging, hotspots and others such as YouTube. Apple made the API available to the developers and apps like Spotify and Uber take good advantage of the notch, making it more functional. There is alsoLive Activitiesfeature for background notifications, which is quite helpful too.
Cameras: High-resolution sensor with better OIS, improved night mode and more
Apple has offered the biggest camera upgrade with the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Both the Pro models come with a brand-new, high-resolution 48MP camera sensor, which is 68% larger than the 12MP one on the iPhone 13 Pro. Featuring a 1/1.28-inch sensor, 2.44um pixel size and f/1.78 aperture, the camera outputs 12MP photos by default, thanks to 4-in-1 pixel binning tech.
Apple has also added a new feature calledPhotonic Engine, which is basically a computational photography model thatimprovesthedynamic rangeandlow-lightcamera performance by incorporating Apple’sDeep Fusiontech.
在过去的一年里,我们使用iPhone 14 Proas a primary phone and camera for capturing photos and videos in multiple settings. Under most scenarios, the primary camera does a great job of capturing photos, which are brighter, richer in details and punchier in colors, a great upgrade from previous generation iPhones. The new camera featuring a larger sensor does a great job in low-light conditions, such as inside dim-lit cafes or restaurants. The following photos provide some evidence of its performance.
However, the algorithm needs to be improved and localized with respect to the varied human skin tones across different geographies. TheHDRgoes a little aggressive adding a slightly darker skin tone, especially in backlit scenarios. But otherwise, the 12MP front camera does a good job, especially when on video calls.
For users who like to play around with RAW capture and edit it in post-processing, there is support forApple ProRAWmode. The best part here is that you can capture RAW photos in both 12MP and 48MP resolutions. Below are a couple of photos shot in RAW and edited in Adobe Lightroom. But you can also edit the photos in other apps such as Snapseed.
The primary camera also comes with second-generationsensor-shift OIStechnology. It helps in capturing blur-free photos, but most importantly it helps in capturing smooth, jerk-free videos, even at 4K 60fps and without needing a gimbal. 8K video recording is missing, and we hope the iPhone 15 series will bring this feature which has been available on the Android flagships for a few years now.
WATCH: Apple iPhone 14 Pro Video Camera Samples
TheAction Modeworks well in capturing stable footage with less camera shake, even when you are running behind a subject. The only catch here is that you can capture up to a maximum resolution of 2.8K, which is not bad either. TheCinematic Modehas also improved with its edge detection, and the best part about this mode is that it lets you change focus from frame to frame right on your smartphone. Apple has also added4K videocapture in Cinematic Mode, which is a good improvement. All of these features leverage the new A16 Bionic’s AI capabilities.
其他e are two more cameras – a 12MP sensor with an ultrawide lens of 13mm (120-degree field-of-view), and a 12MP sensor with a 77mm telephoto lens and OIS offering up to 3X optical zoom. All three cameras are consistent with their color science, which shows how Apple has worked on optimizing the algorithms barring skin tones. The following shots confirm the color consistency across the sensor and focal lengths.
Ultrawide
Ultrawide
1x
3x
The ultrawide camera also doubles as a macro camera, allowing you to capture close-up shots from a distance as close as 2cm. Below are a couple of close-up photos.
Lastly, the iPhone 14 Pro also comes with aToF 3D LiDARscanner for depth information, and it is probably the most underrated sensor on the iPhone. It may not have the everyday use case when clicking photos and videos but comes in very handy inAugmented Realityuse cases, like using the camera as a measuring tape, which is in-built, or other third-party ARKit-based phygital interactive apps for design or learning.
Snappy performance with powerful A16 Bionic SoC
TheA16 BionicSoC made on a4nm TSMCprocess is one of the big under-the-hood upgrades in the iPhone 14 Pro series. The new SoC focuses on enhancing power efficiency, display and camera. With nearly16 billion transistors,re is a new 6-core CPU, featuring two performance cores and four high-efficiency cores. The new 16-core Neural Engine is capable of 17 TOPS, enabling advanced computational photography experiences.
The SoC also comes with a 5-core GPU with 50% more memory bandwidth. Whether running multiple apps in the background or playing graphics-intensive games, the A16 Bionic handles it all without breaking a sweat. However, there are times when the back of the smartphone gets a bit warmer when pushed to the limits.
Display enhancements such as dynamic refresh rate & AoD
其他e are other core experiences that the chipset unlocks. For instance, there is a newDisplay Enginethat enablesalways-ondisplay capabilities for the custom-built OLED screen, and a refresh rate as low as 1Hz when idle or when there is static content on the screen. This helps in reducing power consumption and offers a slightly better battery life even when the always-on display is kept on. However, if you turn on the wallpaper option in the “always-on” display (AoD) setting, the battery drain is faster. So, ensure that you keep it off, while notifications can be left on.
The 6.1-inch SuperRetina XDR OLED display also supports a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, offering smooth playback of videos and a good gaming experience. The screen outputs a wider color gamut, supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and can attain peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits outdoors. We were not able to test the peak but never faced any legibility issues during the usage.
电池寿命而言,iPhone 14职业持续for a day, and even some more, depending on your usage. There is a 3,200mAh battery unit with support for fast charging and wireless charging – both using MagSafe (faster at 15W) and Qi (7.5W). While Apple sells a 20W charging adapter, you can also use third-party USB Type-C-based adapters with the bundled Type-C-to-Lightning cable to charge your iPhone.
It takes about 90 minutes to fully charge the iPhone 14 Pro. With a mixed usage of calls, browsing the social media timeline, listening to music, and clicking some photos and videos, we get a good six hours or slightly more of screen time. One thing to add here is that Battery Health has not held up well – it is already at 91% of its maximum capacity after 12 months of use. However, the good thing is that it hasn’t really affected the battery life in a major way.Faster chargingis something that is on top of our wishlist and where Apple is falling behind.
Other useful additions: Crash detection, emergency SOS and more
其他e are other key features that the iPhone 14 series brings, such ascrash detection, which uses a mix of high g-force accelerometer, gyroscope, and machine learning algorithms to detect when a user is subjected to a severe crash. It then automatically contacts emergency services. There is also anEmergency SOS via satellitefeature that lets you send emergency messages and get help when a cellular or Wi-Fi network is unavailable. This feature can come in handy for users who go on treks and hikes where there is limited to no network connectivity. However, this feature is region-specific and not available across the globe.
Lastly, all iPhone 14 models support5Gconnectivity. However, there is one major change in the US – there is no physical SIM card and these areeSIM-only iPhones。其他e may still be time before we see eSIM-only iPhones across all markets. eSIM and integrating iSIM in the future will allow Apple to save some board space to make way for more thinner form factor.
Wrapping up
iPhone 14职业有一个伟大的构建质量, beautiful display, great set of cameras and many other features that make it Apple’s best Pro yet. iOS updates have consistently improved the experience, right from software features to camera performance and optimized battery life. Even the Dynamic Island functionality has improved as more apps now support it. The Live Activities feature is quite helpful in offering important background notifications, from the live status of a cab you booked to food you ordered, and even smaller things like the status of a story upload on apps like Instagram.
其他e are areas where we hope to see some improvements with the new iPhone 15 series. Support for faster charging speeds will be a good addition. In the camera department, we often notice that the AI and HDR go a little aggressive on different skin tones. Maybe an option to turn off HDR could have been better. 8K video recording is another feature we would love to see in the iPhone 15 series as 4K 60fps is becoming a de-facto feature that would also warrant a base storage of 512GB and going up to 2TB for all the Pro models.
(Use the buttons below to download the complete chart)
Highlights:
Apple’s sales declined in Q2 2023 due to seasonality. Its Pro series did better.
MediaTek’s shipments increased slightly in Q2 2023 with reduced inventory levels and growing competition in the entry-level 5G smartphone market. New smartphone launches in the low-to-mid-end segments increased the shipments of Dimensity 6000 and Dimensity 7000 series. The Dimensity 9200 Plus was added to the premium tier.
Qualcomm’s shipments increased in Q2 2023 due to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s adoption in Samsung’s flagship smartphones and by Chinese OEMs. The launch of Samsung’s Flip and Fold series also contributed to this growth. Qualcomm refreshed the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 series to gain some share back. However, the premium segment’s growth remained in focus.
Samsung’s shipments increased in Q2 2023. The Exynos 1330 and 1380’s launch added volumes to the low and mid-high segments.
UNISOC’s shipments grew in Q2 2023 after a weak Q1. It gained some share in the $100-$150 LTE segment. In H2 2023, as entry-level 5G smartphones pick up in regions like LATAM, SEA, MEA and Europe, UNISOC will gain some share.
For a more detailed smartphone AP-SoC shipments & forecast tracker, click below:
Global Smartphone AP-SOC Shipment & Forecast Tracker by Model – Q2 2023
This report tracks the smartphone AP/SoC Shipments by Model for all the vendors. The scope of this report is from the AP/SoC shipments from all the key vendors like Apple, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Huawei, Samsung, UNISOC and JLQ. We have covered all the main models starting fromQ1 2020 to Q2 2023。We have also included aone-quarter forecast for Q3E 2023。This report will help you to understand the AP/SoC Market from the shipment perspective. Furthermore, we have also covered key specs for these AP/SoC covering market view by:
Network(4G/5G AP/SoC)
Foundry Details(like TSMC, Samsung. etc.)
Process node(5nm, 6nm, 8nm, etc.)
Manufacturing Process(FinFET, N7, N5, etc.)
CPU Cores Architecture and CPU Cores Count
Modem(External/Internal)
Modem Name
Secure Element Presence
Security Chip
AI Accelerator
For detailed insights on the data, please reach out to us atsales(at)www.arena-ruc.com。If you are a member of the press, please contact us atpress(at)www.arena-ruc.comfor any media enquiries.
Apple’s iPhone 11 was the third best-selling model in Mexico in Q2 2023.
60% of the models in the top 10 list were priced below $150.
Samsung’s Galaxy A34, Galaxy A54 5G were the only two 5G models on the top 10 list.
Mexicois the second most important smartphone market in Latin America. The country has the second-highest population in the region and hosts an extremely competitive ecosystem. Mexico’s geographical size and lack of import barriers make it an extremely attractive智能手机market.
The top-selling models accounted for 35% of Mexico’s total smartphonemarketin Q2 2023. The top 10 list almost appears like Samsung’s performance for the quarter as the brand dominated the top-selling chart in Mexico in Q2 2023. Five of the 10 best-selling models were fromSamsung。According to Counterpoint’s Market Pulse Report, Samsung’s share in Q2 2023 was slightly more than 30%.
OPPO and Motorola both had two models in the Q2 2023 top-selling list. Motorola, which has always been a strong player in theMexicanmarket, launched a few new models during the quarter that helped the brand increase its market share. OPPO, a relatively new entrant in theLATAMmarket, managed to retain its third position in market share with two of its models in the top-selling list.
Source: Counterpoint Research Market Pulse, Q2 2023
60% of the models in the top 10 list were priced below $150. This price band accounts for 52% of the overall智能手机market in Mexico. However, premiumization is infiltrating the Mexican market, and the number of models in the >$150 band is increasing in the top-selling list. This trend is accelerating slowly but will surely lead to a higher overall smartphone ASP.
Apple’s four-year-oldiPhone11 has been part of the Mexican bestseller list for a few quarters now. It was the third best-selling model in the Mexican market in Q2 2023. The iPhone 11, which is a 4G model, was the most expensive model on the list. The massive sales of this model reflect the strength of Apple’s branding.
The 4G version of OPPO’s Reno 7 was another model in the bestsellers list priced more than $150. This is quite an achievement for the brand, which arrived in the region just three years ago.OPPOis still building its branding in the Mexican market. The Reno 7 has been in the Mexican top-selling chart since December 2022.
It is noteworthy that only two models in the chart are 5G phones – the Samsung Galaxy A34 and the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G. The latter one is also the most expensive Samsung model in the top-selling list. Meanwhile, Telcel has been pushing its subscriber base to replace their phone with a 5G one. Mexican consumers are still not ready for5Gtechnology. They would rather get more specs than access the technology.
MEA smartphone shipments increased 1% YoY and 7% QoQ in Q2 2023.
Consumer sentiment picked up during the quarter with falling inflation rates and stabilizing local currencies. These boosted demand for ‘big ticket’ items like smartphones.
Samsung saw a rebound in its shipments and market share during the quarter.
Transsion Group’s shipments grew 2% YoY, or an impressive 14% QoQ, in a typically weak quarter.
Apple continued its steep rise, with shipments up 75% YoY in Q2.
London, Boston, Toronto, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – September 5, 2023
Smartphoneshipments in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region increased 1% YoY and 7% QoQ in Q2 2023, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’sMarket Monitor Service。This was the MEA smartphone market’s first meaningful rebound in five quarters, or since the global inflation crisis started. Consumer sentiment improved materially during the quarter, as inflation rates fell and local currencies stabilized. This came as a welcome relief for embattled OEMs, which had been sitting on an alarming level of inventory in 2022. They utilized the opportunity to destock and return to a more normal pattern of inventory and product launches.
Commenting on the market’s performance,Senior Analyst Yang Wangsaid, “TheMEAregion seems to be the first to come out of the global downturn in the智能手机market. Market activity picked up during the quarter on better macroeconomic environment and consumers could afford to be more optimistic about ‘big ticket’ item purchases. This was reflected in robustRamadanand Easter sales and throughout the quarter. The encouraging performances show once again that the MEA region could be the last remaining untapped smartphonemarket.其他e is still significant potential for large segments of the population to upgrade to smartphones.”
Looking at individual brands, Samsung, TECNO andApplewere the biggest winners.Samsung’s rebound can be attributed to the lower-pricedGalaxyA series’ strong sales, while new 5G and premium-end models also did well.TECNO, and sister brandInfinixto some extent, performed very well due to better economic conditions, particularly for lower income groups, and aggressive market entries in the Middle East. TECNO andInfinix’ssuccesses, however, can be partly attributed to the cannibalization ofitel’s market share. Lastly,Applehad an outstanding quarter to round off a very strong iPhone 14 series cycle. TheOEMmanaged to increase penetration in key Middle East markets with the higher-priced Pro and Pro Max models getting good reception.
On the other hand,Xiaomiretreated 17% YoY as it faced strong competition from Samsung and Transsion brands in the mid-range. Outside of the top 10,OPPOandvivocontinued to slide as the availability of the brands’ stock contracted and market penetration activities shrank. However,realmemaintained positive momentum due to increasing product availability in new markets.
Commenting on pricing trends in the MEA smartphone market, Wang said, “The premium end is usually an afterthought for the MEA market, but the segment was an outperformer of Q2 2023. The sales of smartphones priced above $800 grew 93% YoY, largely due to Apple’s high-end models in the iPhone 14 series. The OEM’s share increased in key GCC markets, while it was seen making efforts to expand distribution channels in Africa. Apple’s success in the MEA region is another proof of the brand’s strong global appeal. As the process of urbanization and industrialization continues across the region, Apple can expect to remain one of the topOEMsin the region.”
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Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
Our Q2 2023 Market Monitor report has been published. We release one infographic each quarter to summarize the global smartphone market activities in a single page.
Some quick observations on the smartphone market:
Global smartphone shipments declined 9% YoY in Q2 2023 to reach 268 million units.
Samsung remained the top smartphone player in Q2 2023, while Apple saw a cyclical decline.
Among the top five brands, Apple experienced the smallest YoY shipment decline. Among the top 10 brands, TECNO and Infinix, part of the Transsion Group, saw double-digit YoY shipment growth in the quarter.
In terms of regional performance, only the Middle East and Africa (MEA) exhibited annual shipment growth while North America experienced the highest decline.
The top five brands accounted for almost 80% of the total 5G smartphone shipments in Q2 2023.
Use the button below to download the high resolution PDF of the infographic:
Europe smartphone shipments fell 12% YoY in Q2 2023 to reach lowest since 2012.
Russia only major market to register growth at 4% YoY.
OPPO’s shipments fell 51% YoY hurt by patent issues and difficult market conditions.
2023 smartphone shipments are set to be lower than in 2022.
London, Boston, Toronto, New Delhi, Jakarta, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – September 1, 2023
European smartphone shipments declined 12% YoY in Q2 2023, marking the lowest quarterly shipment volume since Q1 2012, according to the latest report from Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor Service.
Western Europe declined by 14% YoY during the quarter while Eastern Europe limited its fall to 8% YoY, despite being in an already battered state. All major European nations performed weakly in Q2 2023, except Russia, which conversely registered 4% YoY growth. However, this was primarily due to lower shipments in Q2 2022 – the first full quarter after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions and market exits of prominent smartphone players.
OPPO had a difficult time in Q2 2023 with patent disputes and uncertainty in several countries, due to which the brand’s shipments dropped 51% YoY. The uncertainty is likely to persist which will result in further shipment declines in the coming quarters.
realme grew 12% YoY, driven primarily by Russia, which accounted for 55% of the brand’s shipments in the region. In Russia, realme benefitted from Samsung and Apple’s market exit, which allowed the company to fill the void left by these heavyweights. Additionally, realme has remained in the second position in Russia for five straight quarters and has been closing the gap with the market leader Xiaomi.
HONOR registered 9% YoY growth during the quarter due to the base effect and its ongoing expansion outside China.
Commenting on the current market dynamics,Research AnalystHarshit Rastogisaid, “Despite falling shipment volumes, the higher price bands (wholesale prices exceeding $600) have been capturing a larger share of the market each year. They also have a longer replacement cycle compared to mid-segment and lower-price band smartphones, which further dampens demand. Consequently, OEMs are likely to focus on increasing their ASP and concentrate on services to drive revenue growth in the coming quarters.”
Commenting on market outlook,Associate Director JanStryjakcommented, “The market is unlikely to make a full recovery `this year and 2023 smartphone shipments are set to be lower than in 2022, marking consecutive decade-low shipments in both 2022 and 2023. While the economic conditions are partly to blame, consumer buying behaviour is also changing, suggesting that a lower level of sales will set a new baseline. However, despite the low shipment volumes, upcoming iterations of Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s foldables are likely to fare well, prompting a bump in sales volumes in the coming quarters.”
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media, and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects, and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
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This data is based on the smartphone AP/SoC shipments
Looking at individual brands, Samsung, TECNO and
