A new report claims Apple's 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus accounted for about 40 percent of all iPhone 7 sales. In contrast, the previous iPhone 6s Plus accounted for roughly 23 percent of iPhone 6s sales, meaning consumers are becoming increasingly more comfortable in spending more money to upgrade to larger iPhones.
iPhone 6 And iPhone 6 Plus Bring The Big Screen To iPhones
When Apple launched the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, the smartphones packed in the largest displays the company has ever offered and currently still offers, 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches. Most iPhone fans welcomed the increase in display size, but some felt the new devices were simply too big compared to the 3.5-inch and 4-inch screens most spent years comfortable using with one hand.
It didn't take long for iPhone users to get comfortable and appreciate the larger displays. T-Mobile's CEO even claimed that the iPhone 6 Plus accounted for almost half the sales of the iPhone 6 series at launch. This was the first sign that consumers were willing to pay a premium in order to get a larger, higher resolution display and improved camera features. In this case the 6 Plus included OIS (optical image stabilization), while the standard iPhone 6 did not.
iPhone 7 Plus Features Lead To Big Sales
The Wall Street Journal is reporting analysts believe that sales of the iPhone 7 Plus have accounted for a whopping 40 percent of all iPhone 7 sales. This is an increase from iPhone 6s Plus sales accounting for 23 percent of all iPhone 6s sales, which means customers are increasingly willing to pay a premium to upgrade to the larger more tricked out iPhone. This is great news for Apple and analysts believe the company will continue to use this strategy with future iPhones. The iPhone 7 Plus uses a dual-rear camera setup with zoom and blur features, while the iPhone 7 features a single rear camera.
"The iPhone base wants a new, cooler iPhone," said Tim Arcuri, an analyst with Cowen. "There's a lot of pent-up demand for a product with newer, cooler features," and he said the base-model iPhone 7 doesn't deliver.
"The relative success of the iPhone 7 Plus, however, underscored consumers' appetite for new features. The combination of a fancier camera, increased RAM and water-resistant capabilities made it the most successful higher-priced phone Apple has sold, analysts say."
Apple is expected to launch three new iPhones in the fall, iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus, and premium 10th anniversary iPhone 8. We'll keep you posted on any new details.
