iPhone X Release Will Boost Smartphone Sales Worldwide Next Year, Research Claims
A recent study predicts the iPhone X will help propel smartphone sales in various regions next year.
2018 is expected to be the first year of smartphone sales growth since 2015, according to a Gartner study. The research company polled 16,537 respondents from Germany, China, the United Kingdom, India and the United States in June and July. Based on the results, shipments are predicted to be around 1.9 billion units — two percent more compared with that of this year.
The iPhone X will be a key factor in this expected increase, specifically in major regions such as Western Europe, China and North America. Sales will continue into 2018 since Apple's most-anticipated phone will be available in November.
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"Given the late November availability of the iPhone X, we expect the iPhone's replacement cycle to flow more strongly into 2018," Gartner research director Roberta Cozza said in a statement.
While the firm's latest forecast means good news for the smartphone industry, the iPhone X is also rumored to have shortages in production. It could highly impact the device's availability once it hits the shelves right before the holiday season.
However, a new report claims Apple is prepared to meet the high demand for the iPhone X. Shipments for the high-end smartphones are expected to increase beginning November, as yield rate for the iPhone X continues to improve. Apple is reportedly confident it will meet the demands this holiday season because supply for important components and chipset deliveries for the iPhone X is right on schedule.
After unveiling the iPhone X in September, Apple announced that its latest smartphone will be available for pre-order on Oct. 27. The new iPhone will be released on Nov. 3, with prices starting at $999. Its commercial debut will likely overshadow the previously released iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
