Rogers, the largest wireless carrier in Canada, has admitted that it has seen lackluster demand for the iPhone 8 so far.

rogers iphone 8
"What we're seeing is sort of […] anemic appetite for the iPhone 8," said Rogers CEO Joe Natale, during an earnings call today, according to Reuters.

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus pre-orders began on September 15, and the devices launched on September 22, including at Rogers.

Earlier today, China's Economic Daily News claimed Apple has asked its suppliers to reduce iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus production by nearly 50 percent in November and December, just days after iPhone X pre-orders begin.

The report cited an unnamed source who claimed it is the first time in the iPhone's ten-year history that new models will face a major cutback less than three months after Apple suppliers began mass production in China. Given the staggered release of the iPhone X, however, this isn't a typical launch to begin with.

Apple shares declined around 1.5 percent in pre-market trading today as investors reacted to the news, dragging down the Dow Jones.

While many industry observers believe any negative sentiment surrounding the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus spells good news for iPhone X demand, Natale warned about the device's higher price and potential supply constraints.

"The iPhone X price point is about 75 percent higher than the iPhone 7. So it's a very expensive device," he said, referring to the device's $1319 starting price in Canada. "Inventory is a question mark in terms of what we will get."

iPhone X pre-orders begin next Friday, October 27 in several countries, including the United States and Canada. The device launches November 3.

Tag: Rogers
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

theelysium Avatar
98 months ago
Apple should have put the dual camera on the smaller iPhone 8. Most of us on 6s would have upgraded, but without that dual camera we are sticking with our 6s. Apple's bad for not including it.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ds6778 Avatar
98 months ago
I genuinely think smartphone hype of years past is gone. Not only are we getting mostly iterative updates, they’re also getting crazy expensive. I can see the average person holding onto their phone for a few years at this point.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
agsystems Avatar
98 months ago
"The iPhone X price point is about 75 percent higher than the iPhone 7. So it's a very expensive device," he said,referring to the device's $1319 starting price in Canada"
Exactly what I have been saying if the customers don't get help from the carriers (rebates, installment, etc) Apple could be in trouble even matching last year's numbers. The number of folks outside the US able to outright purchase $1000-1500 phones its likely small or not the size Apple is expecting.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nvmls Avatar
98 months ago
Keep those margins up Apple so fanboys can compensate less sales, they love it.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
98 months ago
I can see how this happens.


* iPhone 8 — not different enough from iPhone 7 to justify an upgrade
* iPhone X — way too expensive for most people
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
v0lume4 Avatar
98 months ago
What I ponder is if we are going to see a big dip in iPhone sales this quarter. Lackluster demand for the iPhone 8 (due to the incremental updates as well as people holding out for the X), as well as limited supply for the iPhone X could lead to lower than anticipated sales for the quarter.

And, something else that I don't think many people have considered -- how many folks are going to skip the iPhone X outright, due to it's price? The sample group here on the MacRumors forums isn't indicative of the rest of the buying public's purchase behavior. Only time will tell. Will be interested to see how this pans out.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...