Hopes for radical tenth anniversary iPhone technology dashed
Analysts have scotched hopes that Apple’s looming tenth anniversary iPhone might shake up the staid smartphone market with an exciting new design or futuristic technology – despite criticism that the current iPhone 7 failed to fully differentiate itself.
Instead reports from suppliers suggest that the machine will be just another iterative advance with a hi-res screen and wireless capabilities, technologies already deployed by competitors.
Apple remains tight-lipped about precisely what it has in store until the grand reveal leaving the field open for speculation with current betting focused on the long-predicted retirement of the home button in favour of a hidden fingerprint sensor.
Figures published by IDC indicate that the global smartphone market has reached saturation point with sales rising by a mere 2.3% to 1.47bn in 2016.
Despite fears that consumers may be cooling on the sector, Apple is adept at flogging high-end devices at premium prices, selling a record 78.3m iPhones in the last quarter largely courtesy of the iPhone 7 Plus, a variant which retails at up to $969.