There’s growing interest in a 5G iPhone, according to survey done by a market-analysis firm. Almost a quarter of current users of Apple handsets would be willing to pay more for an iPhone with a higher-speed wireless connection than the cost of the company’s top-tier device today.
The iPhone XS Max starts at just under $1,100, which has drawn criticism for being too expensive. However, Piper Jaffray’s survey found that 23% of iPhone users would pay as much as $1,200 for a 5G-enabled iOS device. That’s up from the 18% who said they’d be willing to pay that much in the analysts’ previous survey.
5G networks are still just getting off the ground, with all the Big Four US carriers still offering this service in parts of a handful of cities. That said, it’s expected to be must faster than the current 4G LTE networks.
Not great news for the iPhone 11
The first 5G-enabled iPhone isn’t expected until next year, and Apple is almost certain to unveil its last 4G-only handsets at a press event scheduled for next Tuesday. But interest in these is reportedly tepid.
“Looking at the remainder of FY19, we expect limited excitement around this year’s iPhones (to be announced on 9/10),” reads a note sent by Piper Jaffray to investors this morning.
These reportedly won‘t have a stand-out feature like 5G. The iPhone 11 series is rumored to have much better cameras and reverse-inductive charging, but otherwise be moderate improvements over last year’s offerings.
Still, Apple isn’t as dependent on handset sales as it once was. The company has been shifting its focus to services like Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade, which are also likely get attention at next week’s press event. In addition, revenue totals from iPad and Mac sales are up. “As long as services and non-iPhone devices continue to perform well, this should tide investors over until anticipation for 5G iPhones intensifies,” said the Piper Jaffray note.
Via: The Street