SpotlightMarch2017

By Jamie Barrie I t seems like forever since Apple released the iPhone 7 last September and now investors and users alike are antici- pating some big new features from Apple for their 10th anniversary iPhone 8. Apple isn’t releasing any details about what the iPhone 8 will look like, but a growing list of rumored features has surfaced speculating that it could release 4.7-inch, 5.1-inch and 5.5-inch models with edge-to- edge organic LED screens, wireless charging capabilities and some form of augmented reality technology.  Market analysts say that these new features would represent a significant shift from the iPhone 7 model, released last September, and could drive existing iPhone users to upgrade from earlier models more quickly than normal. However, some analysts argue that these new features will not be enough to drive user upgrades because of the iPhone 8’s expected high suggested retail selling price being a major deterrent.  The iPhone 8’s high-end components (such as a 3D mapping chip, AR sensors) could lead the top-tier iPhone version to cost as much as $1,000, which could limit demand, since that price would be beyond what most users are willing to pay to upgrade from previous generations of iPhones. In saying that, Apple may use the release of the 10 th anniversary iPhone 8 to specifically target iPhone users in China as most users are due for an upgrade as it was back in 2015 when China Mobile, the country's most popular carrier started to offer customers iPhones as part of their phone packages. This type of demand could lead to a huge sales boost for Apple in China, allowing Apple to focus on high-end users in other markets like North America..

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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • MARCH 2017

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