The new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus hit stores on Friday, with dozens of people - and a robot - queueing in Sydney to kick off a global sales cycle that will be scrutinized for signs of how much juice Apple Inc.’s marquee product has left.
Analysts expect a record 12 million to 13 million phones to fly off the
shelves in the first weekend, up from more than 10 million last year
when the hugely successful iPhone 6’s launch was delayed in China, the
world’s biggest smartphone market.
Among the first to pick up the new iPhone 6s in a cold, rainy Sydney was
a telepresence robot named Lucy, operated by marketing executive Lucy
Kelly.
“I obviously have my work and other things to attend to and can’t spend
two days lining up so my boss at work suggested I take one of the robots
down and use it to stand in my place,” she said via an iPad mounted on
top of the wheeled robot.
Fans around the world have camped out for days prior to the release, and
Apple has said pre-orders suggested sales were on pace to beat last
year’s first-weekend performance.
Sales of iPhones accounted for nearly two-thirds of Apple’s revenue in
the latest quarter. First released in 2007, it is Apple’s best-selling
device to date.
“The stage is set for Apple to show year-over-year growth over the
Herculean iPhone 6 sales,” FBR Capital Markets senior analyst Daniel
Ives said.
The phones, which are the same size as last year’s models, feature
improved cameras and 3D touch, a display technology based on a “Taptic
Engine” that responds according to how hard users press their screens.
“The rumors are true - the battery capacity is down a bit, and we
suspect the reduced battery size is to accommodate the Taptic Engine,”
repair firm iFixit, which opened up an iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, said on
its website. (bit.ly/1OxY5xs)
Apple has said battery life is unchanged in the new phones.
Lacklustre offerings this year from rival smartphone manufacturer
Samsung Electronics Co. also will help Apple stand out in the
marketplace, analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy
wrote in an email.
“Over the long haul, the 6s will eclipse the 6 as Apple is even more
competitive versus Samsung in emerging regions and is gaining share in
traditional regions,” Mr. Moorhead said.
The iPhone goes on sale in countries including China, , the U.K and the U.S.
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