Analyst forecasts for 2018 include a jump in sales of iPhones (but a drop in the production of iPhones X) and a new SE model

It's the new year, but analysts' forecasts for Apple products aren't much different, if you ask me.

According to the firm TrendForce, the smartphone market in 2018 continues to grow, but at the same rate as 2017 over the past year, it was up 6.5%. The reason for this slowdown would be the rising cost of device components, according to analysts.

Within this scenario, however, Apple has everything to come out of 2018 celebrating: according to the firm, sales of iPhones throughout the year that is starting to grow at around 7.5%, a jump much greater than that seen in the year that just ended (in 2017, sales rose by 3% a number that was not only higher due to some production issues with the iPhone X, according to TrendForce).

The firm presented some of its forecasts for the models of iPhones to be launched this year, without bringing news as to what we have seen in several vehicles: According to them, the new smartphones from Ma viro with improved facial recognition technology and a screen ratio -for even greater body. Corroborating other rumors, Apple should present two models with AMOLED screens possibly, one of them would be the “IPhone X Plus”.

One point of the forecasts, however, had not been commented on until now: the introduction of an updated model of the iPhone SE, which would naturally be launched with an eye on emerging markets and the intermediate segment. There is no more information about the possible device, but it would not be a bad idea.

Just as a related note, TrendForce further estimated that the Samsung will have a difficult year: if the South Korean grew 3% in 2017 in smartphone sales, the firm predicts that its commercial performance will retract at the same pace throughout 2018, mainly due to the increasingly fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers and a “level up” in the highest segment of the market, with Apple and the company offering more tempting options.

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Finally, analyst Nicolas Baratte (from the investment firm CLSA) has somewhat less encouraging news regarding Apple: according to the professional, Ma will further reduce the production pace of iPhone X.

Last week, several vehicles reported that the Cupertino giant would be reducing its forecast for iPhones X shipments in the first quarter of 2018 from 50 million to 30 million units; today, Baratte issued a note stating that even these updated figures can still be quite optimistic.

According to the analyst, it is highly unlikely that the commercial performance of the iPhone X in the first quarter of 2018 will surpass that of the last quarter of 2017. The obvious reason: consumers who wanted the device are already in it, and potential new buyers will reflect more calmly about the cost / benefit of the thousand dollar smartphone, possibly preferring other options.

Therefore, the 30-35 million iPhones X shipped in the fourth quarter of 2017 (according to CLSA's own estimate) will hardly be exceeded in this period. Only when Apple launches the new generation of the device, towards the end of the year, that these numbers may rise again.

Makes sense, right?

via 9to5Mac, MacRumors