Weird Pricing on older iPhones
September 18, 2019 8:05 PM Subscribe
Can anyone explain why an Apple-refurbished iPhone X costs about the same as a new iPhone 11? I know why I’d pay up for the X (Qualcomm modem), but that can’t be Apple’s reasoning, can it?
Given the form factor and feature set of the iPhone 11 it looks more like the successor to the XR (599 new, according to my region settings) than the X/XS - Apple's marketing people have just decided to confuse everyone by ditching the "regular iPhone/budget iPhone" (XS/XR) paradigm in favour of "premium iPhone/regular iPhone" (11 Pro/11).
posted by btfreek at 8:50 PM on September 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by btfreek at 8:50 PM on September 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
During the announcement one of the current models (XR I think?) showed a lower price that isn’t showing on Apple’s website yet. Agreed to wait until the 20th to see if prices change.
posted by Crystalinne at 9:06 PM on September 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Crystalinne at 9:06 PM on September 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
The iPhone X has an OLED display and the iPhone 11 has an IPS display. The OLED display has richer colors, darker blacks. I believe it's more energy efficient, but I don't know if that would make as big a difference in a phone display as it does in OLED televisions.
I find the refurb store often has prices that seem out of whack with new products - I think the algorithm might just take a percentage off the original retail price rather than dialing in on newer chipsets, cameras, etc.
posted by bluecore at 9:20 PM on September 18, 2019
I find the refurb store often has prices that seem out of whack with new products - I think the algorithm might just take a percentage off the original retail price rather than dialing in on newer chipsets, cameras, etc.
posted by bluecore at 9:20 PM on September 18, 2019
Response by poster: In case anyone's interested, not all models of iPhone X and iPhone 8 have Qualcomm modems. I learned here that "All iPhone X, 8 and 8 Plus devices using the Qualcomm modem have a model number of A1865, while the Intel counterparts have a model number of A1901."
posted by Quisp Lover at 5:19 AM on September 19, 2019
posted by Quisp Lover at 5:19 AM on September 19, 2019
The original MSRP for the iPhone X was $999 (I think it dropped to $899 last year which is why the site says that's the original price). This probably explains some of the discrepancy too.
posted by neckro23 at 7:56 AM on September 19, 2019
posted by neckro23 at 7:56 AM on September 19, 2019
As has been mentioned, the iPhone X is the older model equivalent of the new iPhone 11 Pro. It was originally priced at $1,000. The new iPhone 11 is equivalent to last year's iPhone Xr, which was a lower priced variant of the iPhone Xs.
That's all a bit confusing, the model changes go like:
iPhone X -> iPhone Xs -> iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 8 (sort of) -> iPhone Xr -> iPhone 11
If you're shopping right now, I'd go with the iPhone 11 over the iPhone X. It's got a faster CPU and will have much better battery life. The camera is also greatly improved over what was available on the iPhoneX.
posted by Eddie Mars at 9:46 AM on September 19, 2019
That's all a bit confusing, the model changes go like:
iPhone X -> iPhone Xs -> iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 8 (sort of) -> iPhone Xr -> iPhone 11
If you're shopping right now, I'd go with the iPhone 11 over the iPhone X. It's got a faster CPU and will have much better battery life. The camera is also greatly improved over what was available on the iPhoneX.
posted by Eddie Mars at 9:46 AM on September 19, 2019
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posted by juv3nal at 8:25 PM on September 18, 2019 [3 favorites]