iPhone 14 Plus is a commercial disaster; how to explain?
In 2020, Apple introduced the iPhone 12 series with a brand new variant called the iPhone 12 mini. The device came to meet the expected demand for smaller screen iPhones. However, the Silicon Valley giant learned the hard way that there wasn’t a huge demand for small iPhones. The iPhone 12 mini had a small screen and a small battery and turned out to be a commercial failure. Despite this, Apple gave the mini another chance in the iPhone 13 series. However, even a slightly larger battery was not enough to fix things. While the mini was difficult, Apple saw a huge demand for the iPhone Pro Max variants and decided to produce a smaller version of the phone called the iPhone 14 Plus.
As we’re seeing clearly, the bigger screen wasn’t enough and the device is shaping up to be another commercial disaster. Apple can’t sell the iPhone 14 Plus, but what explains that? Is it the ghost of the miniseries? We will explain this in this article.
iPhone 14 Plus concept
Apple learned a lesson with the failure of the iPhone mini series – people don’t want smaller iPhones. Or at least, when there’s a $100 difference between a small version and the standard one, people will choose the latter. While the iPhone 12 and 13 mini flopped, the larger iPhone Pro Max turned out to be a success in demand and sales. Apple, apparently, realized that an iPhone 14 with a larger screen would work better. As a result, it released the iPhone 14 Plus with a 6.7-inch screen just like the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
The phone cost less than the Pro Max variant, but some sacrifices were made. It does not bring the processor of the Pro Max. Instead, we get an Apple A15 Bionic, the same one that powers the iPhone 13 mini.
According to display analyst Ross Young, display shipments for the iPhone 14 Plus in December were close to 0. Yes, that’s a shocking fact for an iPhone.
Consumers won’t pay for a smaller iPhone 14 Pro Max, not even Apple’s most loyal fans
Last year brought drastic changes to the iPhone series as well. Instead of bringing the same hardware to all devices and lowering the price on other specifications, Apple decided to move the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus to a lower level. The “standard” pair of devices bring the Apple A15 Bionic from 2021. The Pro variants, on the other hand, get the Apple A16 Bionic from 2022. For some users, this is a deal breaker.
The price of the iPhone 13 mini started at $699, while the iPhone 13 was $799. With poor battery life — one that will make you a target for jokes — people weren’t interested in paying $700. Last year, Apple trimmed the mini but left the $700 price range blank. The brand could have moved the regular iPhone 14 into this price range, but instead decided to keep it at $799. As a result, the larger iPhone 14 Plus costs $ 899, for $ 100 more, you will get the Pro with significant improvements.
Gizchina News of the week Pro Max has never been
The iPhone 14 Plus is bigger and has good battery life, but that’s still not enough. The icing on the cake? The device is lukewarm.
Apple started dividing the iPhone series with the launch of iPhone XS, XS Max and XR. The latter was a successful mid-range option, and in 2018, it was the most successful iPhone. In 2019, Apple decided to change all the names again and bring better appeal to the series. The brand introduced the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. The iPhone 11 was mid-range, but the hardware part was similar to the other two iPhones. In 2022, Apple changed the hardware of the mid-range iPhones in a drastic way, and the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are not significantly better than their predecessors. In fact, some believe that the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are, in fact, refreshed models of the iPhone 13 with satellite connectivity.
Lukewarm equipment
The iPhone 14 Plus brings the older Apple A16 Bionic and doesn’t have 120Hz (Hi Apple, there are cheaper phones with 144Hz refresh rates). Camera-wise, the phone lacks a telephoto lens and doesn’t have any kind of optical zoom, and the camera doesn’t have the same 48 MP from the Pro series.
Last but not least, the visual is also boring. In addition to the hardware changes, Apple made the controversial decision to keep the new punch-hole design for the Pro series. Therefore, both the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus look like the iPhone 13 series. The Dynamic Island, which was one of the nicest things in the Pro versions, is also missing here.
The Cupertino-based brand tried to make a cheaper iPhone 14 Pro Max, but forgot to bring to the party everything that makes users pay $1,199 for this variant. People aren’t going to pay $999 for a smaller version that looks like a 2017 iPhone and works like a 2021 one.
Interesting fact – The Plus was about to launch as the iPhone 14 Max, but Apple had a last-minute change and decided to call it the Plus.
Is there any hope for the iPhone 14 Plus?
Now, considering things, the iPhone 14 Plus is performing as a commercial failure. So is there any hope? For the iPhone 14 series, no.
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus will have the same look as the 14 Pro series.
According to some rumors, Apple is considering a price cut for the vanilla models, but only for the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. Due to low demand, Apple will change its strategy and bring the vanilla and Plus at lower prices. This time, the devices will have the same design as the Pro models. However, it will hold a one-year hardware lag with the Apple A16, but still, rumors point to better cameras for all phones. The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus could come in at $699 and $799. If that doesn’t help, then we might see the company ditch the Plus variant for good.
