Official Apple Thread - 9/12 - GDT iPhone & friends Release

[chicagoskycam]

Some recent moves with money have many speculating that Apple is trying to buy Netflix.

I would not care for that at all.

 

[silverfish]

I need a new iPhone. My 5s has served me historically well, but it's time. I'm looking at the 8, but spending $700 on a phone just doesn't sit right with me. I'm also not in love with the stories I'm hearing about the glass cracking. I've never had any issues with my 5s, never used a case on it, no scratches or dents or breaks or anything knocks on every piece of wood in the room.

My question is... how much longer is the 7 going to be usable? Could I instead drop $550 on the 7, and get a few years out of that, rather than go right to the 8?

Usable meaning not made extinct by constant iOS updates that require a better phone.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

I believe there are very few differences between the 7 and 8. You'll be fine.

 

[Supermassive]

I’m not a fan of glass backs on any phone, so I’d go for the 7.

 

[Canes]

I didn't like glass backs either, but wireless charging is just too convenient (for me, anyway). As someone who switched from an Android phone that had it to an iPhone 8, I couldn't go without it. Didn't even need to buy any expensive Apple accessories to use it either, just used the same charging pads as my S7 did.

 

[Rocko604]

I didn't like glass backs either, but wireless charging is just too convenient (for me, anyway). As someone who switched from an Android phone that had it to an iPhone 8, I couldn't go without it. Didn't even need to buy any expensive Apple accessories to use it either, just used the same charging pads as my S7 did.

How did you find switching over to the iPhone in terms of operating system? Coincidentally, now that they have fast and wireless charging, the iPhone 8 is suddenly attractive to me too, plus my entire family is on iOS so there would be some conveniences in interacting with them.

I was loaned an iPhone 6 to play around with using the google apps on iOS, and they all work pretty smoothly.

 

[Canes]

It has been a flawless transition. It was extremely easy to migrate my data from my S7 to an iPhone. I just have the regular iPhone 8 non-plus model and it's still way smoother than my Androids have ever been (Mostly Samsung and LG, with one HTC phone). Despite it being smaller and having worse specs on paper (other than the A11 bionic) than just about every current flagship, I find myself using my phone more than I ever have. Having iMessage is great and a nice added benefit since basically all of my friends and whole family use iPhones.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Dang...I was so close to getting an 8+ for only $350, but I didn't qualify for the company discount. Crap.

 

[KingBran]

Apple possibly moving a ton of its investments / jobs back to the USA.

Apple supplier Foxconn reportedly mulling $7 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing

The economy is amazing right now in the US and the new tax plan (please, lets leave personal opinions of the president out of this) is going to make some companies think about moving parts of their business back to home turf.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I recently purchased the Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad and it charges my 8 Plus a lot faster compared to one that comes with the iPhone. So I say it was well worth it despite the $79.95 cost in Canada to purchase it. The reason I went with that one instead of the Mophie wireless one is the Belkin has a green light that comes on when you plug it in, so you know it's working.

Also a little quick funny story about purchasing it. When I went to the Apple Store to try it out on the chargers they have out next to the iPhones it was not working on either wireless model. At first they thought something was wrong with my 8 Plus, however it turns out they were not plugged in.

 

[LeafsNation75]

 

[LeafsNation75]

This past November I purchased 50 GB of extra storage for my 8 Plus which was $1.29 and after tax it comes to $1.46 that gets charged each month to a credit card I put on my Apple ID. Last week I found out the card I have on file is being discounted, so I went on my Apple ID to change it. I'm wondering will that purchase be automatically changed to the new card or will I lose the 50 GB of storage since the new card wont be charged? I tried calling that Apple help number a few times and been on hold for so long because no one answered.

 

[pcruz]

That's so cool. In 2018, I can finally use my iPhone 7 like I used my Blackberry Z30 from 2013!
I wonder if all the people who said that those actions (swipe motions on BB10) were stupid are now raving about them.

 

[chicagoskycam]

This past November I purchased 50 GB of extra storage for my 8 Plus which was $1.29 and after tax it comes to $1.46 that gets charged each month to a credit card I put on my Apple ID. Last week I found out the card I have on file is being discounted, so I went on my Apple ID to change it. I'm wondering will that purchase be automatically changed to the new card or will I lose the 50 GB of storage since the new card wont be charged? I tried calling that Apple help number a few times and been on hold for so long because no one answered.

Are you talking about the ICloud storage which is like a $1.00 a month. You should be fine as long as you change it, you will find out if there is an issue when it goes to back up and there is not enough space assuming you're using the extra storage you paid for. You should be able to check right away in the Icloud settings.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Are you talking about the ICloud storage which is like a $1.00 a month. You should be fine as long as you change it, you will find out if there is an issue when it goes to back up and there is not enough space assuming you're using the extra storage you paid for. You should be able to check right away in the Icloud settings.

Yes that's exactly what I was talking about. I also did change the credit on my Apple ID and I would know next month that this worked assuming they e-mail me that bill which will be a total of $1.46 because it also says the credit card I used. Plus I can see in the ICloud settings the 50 GB which I purchased.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Apple hasn't sold near the amount of X's analysts thought and their stock has dropped over the last couple weeks. I figure this is great news as this will send a signal that there is a price breaking point and the public won't pay whatever price just because it can be paid monthly.

With laptops and TV's getting cheaper over time, phones have gotten more expensive. Hopefully this will begin to bring cost down somewhat.

With that, I see this HomePod flopping as well. $350 for a home speaker right after the Google Mini was selling for $30 over the holidays ($50 now). Give me a break.

 

[MayDay]

With that, I see this HomePod flopping as well. $350 for a home speaker right after the Google Mini was selling for $30 over the holidays ($50 now). Give me a break.

Not even remotely the same thing. The HomePod is a premium audio quality speaker.

The comparable product from Google that it is competing with is the Google Home Max. Which retails for $400. Which is even more than the HomePod.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Not even remotely the same thing. The HomePod is a premium audio quality speaker.

The comparable product from Google that it is competing with is the Google Home Max. Which retails for $400. Which is even more than the HomePod.

I wonder what sales for the $400 speaker looks like. I just can't see a $350 speaker based around Siri selling a lot.

 

[MayDay]

I wonder what sales for the $400 speaker looks like. I just can't see a $350 speaker based around Siri selling a lot.

The HomePod and Google Home Max aren't targeted at people who are primarily looking for a smart assistant that can also play songs. There are cheap options that do that, like you point out.

They are targeted at people looking for good wireless speakers that play quality audio. This is a big market segment - there are TONS of wireless speakers in the $300-$500 range (from Sonos, Bose, Klipsch, Denon, Sony, and MANY others). People in the market for such a speaker are not going to settle for the inferior sound of a Google Mini or Amazon Echo Dot, but they may be interested in a quality speaker that also offers smart assistant functionality.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

With that, I see this HomePod flopping as well. $350 for a home speaker right after the Google Mini was selling for $30 over the holidays ($50 now). Give me a break.

You are comparing two entirely separate markets. No one is cross-shopping a Google Mini and a HomePod. Just like no one is cross-shopping a Nissan Yaris and an Audi S5.

 

[KingBran]

That's so cool. In 2018, I can finally use my iPhone 7 like I used my Blackberry Z30 from 2013!
I wonder if all the people who said that those actions (swipe motions on BB10) were stupid are now raving about them.

Happened all the time with Windows Phone. One of the firsts with wireless charging, iris scanner, dual flash / HUGE megapixel cameras, on-screen navigation buttons, a personal assistant that did more than tell you the weather and give you reminders... etc. But people said those features were not important and you need an Android or iPhone instead. Now people talk about them like they are phone sellers and amazing features that are new. Its sad.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

You are comparing two entirely separate markets. No one is cross-shopping a Google Mini and a HomePod. Just like no one is cross-shopping a Nissan Yaris and an Audi S5.

Certainly not arguing that the mini speakers compare to the big dogs. I'm just seeing reports of disappointing sales of the X, and thinking that, just because Apple puts its name on a product, they can't charge whatever they want and expect to hit their huge forecast numbers. With a lot of the public somewhat used to Google Home and Alexia price points, I'm very curious to see if a lot of people purchase the HomePod.

 

[MayDay]

Certainly not arguing that the mini speakers compare to the big dogs. I'm just seeing reports of disappointing sales of the X, and thinking that, just because Apple puts its name on a product, they can't charge whatever they want and expect to hit their huge forecast numbers. With a lot of the public somewhat used to Google Home and Alexia price points, I'm very curious to see if a lot of people purchase the HomePod.

The question isn't whether it sells as many units as the Google mini or Echo Dot, because it won't. Definitely not.

The question is whether it sells as well or better than the Google Home Max and other comparably priced ($300-$400) wireless home speakers from Sonos, Bose, and others.

 

[Supermassive]

That's so cool. In 2018, I can finally use my iPhone 7 like I used my Blackberry Z30 from 2013!
I wonder if all the people who said that those actions (swipe motions on BB10) were stupid are now raving about them.

The jailbreak community has been able to mimic just about anything that any phone has done.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

At the end of the day, why would I buy a Homepod when I can just rely on my far better Bluetooth-enabled bookshelf speakers (Yumi Kantos)? The sound appears to be great on the Homepod, and it's a better made/better sounding product than its competitors, but Siri is still so f***ed. I get that they are aiming this for music people, but most music people are going to have a quality set of Bluetooth enabled bookshelf speakers already or a great set of passive speakers hooked up to a Bluetooth enabled receiver.

Apple should've fixed Siri before they went this route.