Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend

#91

Post by tedunangst » Mon, Sep 23, 2013, 2:13 PM UTC

snom380 wrote: post #66

tedunangst wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it possible for software to even read the fingerprint from the sensor, as opposed to only asking the sensor if this fingerprint matches a previous fingerprint????

The processing happens on the A7 chip, but separated from the OS. Of course, the question is whether it's possible for Apple or someone else to update the fingerprint software to give back more data than just the yes/no, or if you could reconfigure the hardware so that the OS can talk to the sensor directly. But again, I'm much more concerned about all the other information my cell phone operator, so this is quite si…

My theory is the hardware is isolated precisely to prevent a software bug (update) from being able to access the raw fingerprints. "Children's game steals fingerprints" is exactly the headline Apple doesn't want to see. But that's just speculation, maybe it is accessible.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend

#92

Post by agumonkey » Mon, Sep 23, 2013, 2:14 PM UTC

untog wrote: post #85

agumonkey wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fair enough. But how do you know the previous ones weren't staged ? Maybe they weren't, it was a believable prank to compare a device with itself and see the average person make up fantasy differences. But here it's an ipad mini of twice the surface, and screen tasting ... I mean come on.

What do you mean by staged? In a sense they all are- I'm sure they ask the question to a lot of people who say "that's not an iPhone, that's an iPad Mini". But they edit those ones out. They're not intending to portray an accurate image of the American consumer.

Staged as in the girl licking is acting through a script.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend

#93

Post by bilbo0s » Mon, Sep 23, 2013, 2:15 PM UTC

bane wrote: post #84

So I had a few separate experiences with this over the weekend: 1) A friend stood in line for a few hours, got to the front, found out they didn't have the color he wanted and left. 2) A colleague in another company got one and she immediately remarked, "it looks just like Android!". 3) A neighbor returned theirs because they couldn't read all the low contrast stuff on the tiny screen. 4) Another neighbor has kept th…

Wow...

were there really that many people out buying iPhones this weekend?

How does Apple keep doing that?

Re: Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend

#94

Post by pinaceae » Mon, Sep 23, 2013, 2:17 PM UTC

bane wrote: post #84

So I had a few separate experiences with this over the weekend: 1) A friend stood in line for a few hours, got to the front, found out they didn't have the color he wanted and left. 2) A colleague in another company got one and she immediately remarked, "it looks just like Android!". 3) A neighbor returned theirs because they couldn't read all the low contrast stuff on the tiny screen. 4) Another neighbor has kept th…

apple is clearly doomed.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend

#95

Post by ZeroGravitas » Mon, Sep 23, 2013, 2:20 PM UTC

swombat wrote: post #45

> Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend, Topping 5M For iPhone 5 Last Year Not a fair comparison, given that 5S + 5C is two models. It would be fairer to compare it to the sales of the 5 + 4S last year - which were probably not 9 million, but certainly more than 5 million.

As mentioned on the other thread, pointing to the official announcement, the iPhone 5 launched in China on a different date, so it had 2 million sales on its launch there.

So to get the real comparison you need to add first weekend sales of the 4S in standard launch countries and China to that 7 million figure.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend

#96

Post by joosters » Mon, Sep 23, 2013, 2:20 PM UTC

joshmlewis wrote: post #78

terhechte wrote: post #5

I was in NY for vacation during the opening Friday and decided to head into a queue and line up for the 5s, suspecting that it may sell out quickly while also leveraging the pricing difference between Europe and USA. This was the first time that I lined up for any Apple launch (execept for the yearly WWDC waiting line of course), and it was overall a fun experience, not only because my girlfriend joined me there and…

I'm not so sure why you wait that long, maybe things are different in the UK, but I think this info could be useful to a lot of people. I'll just throw out a scenario I tell everyone when it comes to buying Apple devices that's strictly just financial and not exactly being an Apple 'fanboy.' Two options here, if you buy a phone on contract for say $200, then you can always sell it in a year, or even two, for around d…

But you're missing an important point: If you own your phone you can get much cheaper 'SIM only' deals with the mobile carriers, meaning that over your 1-2 year contract, you'll pay far less.

Getting a new phone as part of a 'subsidised' contract is effectively borrowing money to buy a phone. Your loan repayments are the monthly fee. If you have the cash, buying the phone up-front is almost always cheaper.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend

#97

Post by YooLi » Mon, Sep 23, 2013, 2:21 PM UTC

swombat wrote: post #45

> Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend, Topping 5M For iPhone 5 Last Year Not a fair comparison, given that 5S + 5C is two models. It would be fairer to compare it to the sales of the 5 + 4S last year - which were probably not 9 million, but certainly more than 5 million.

This year there are two new models, that is why they are grouped. Last year the iPhone 5 was the only new model released on opening weekend.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend

#98

Post by twoodfin » Mon, Sep 23, 2013, 2:23 PM UTC

mikeash wrote: post #23

supercoder wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was just their minor release cycle, so yeah it will be crazy to think how the 6 will sell.

I wouldn't be so sure. The 4S sold over four million units on its opening weekend, which is pretty close to the 5's five million, but way more than the 4's 1.7 million. Personally, I'm deliberately on the "S" upgrade cycle. I started off with a 3GS, then got a 4S, and now have a 5S. I figure I'll let other people deal with the bleeding edge, and I can get the model with all the refinements afterwards. I'd be willing…

Yeah, I'm on the non-S cycle, going from a 3G to a 4 to a 5. Each of those had a feature (3G, Retina, LTE) I wouldn't have wanted to live without for a year, but for quality of experience and useful lifetime, the "S" cycle is the place to be.

But I expect Apple will stick with the C/S distinction for at least one generation, and my next phone will be called a "6S". Or a "6X" for "extended"? No reason they have to stop at two letters/models.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend

#99

Post by pinaceae » Mon, Sep 23, 2013, 2:25 PM UTC

most frustratingly this is another datapoint that won't matter much in the current slew of punditry aimed at talking Apple down.

just go back to the HN post of the 5s launch event and it's full of doomsayers.

seems like apple is going against the very fabric that unites neckbeards around the world - and is crazy successful. just like carmakers that stopped catering to the tinkerers. here's to the crazy ones.

next week? we'll return to the usual apple is doomed because innovation and open blabla.

Re: Apple’s iPhone 5s And iPhone 5c Sell 9M Units Over Opening Weekend

#100

Post by panacea » Mon, Sep 23, 2013, 2:25 PM UTC

swombat wrote: post #69

reidmain wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think that comparison would be completely apt. In the eyes of the public the different name and colours will stir up different buying emotions.

Sure, but prices dropping by $100 also stirs up emotions. I'm not implying that Apple didn't do a great job by moving to the 5S/5C split, just that it'd be fairer and more useful to compare 5S/5C to 5/4S and 4S/4 - if only for the fact that it doesn't leave any room for pedants like me to argue :-)

My 'if I was an oracle' wish would be two-fold:

I realise 5S supply would be very, very constrained initially... so how well did introducing the 5C unconstrained at launch work?

I think the 'champagne' phone would have sold out in the launch weekend, regardless of supply. Is Apple playing this out? (yes).

Every customer lining up, or entering stores are dropping almost a grand. You want to keep some top tier 64gb 'space grey' in stock, to sop up those who missed out on a different alloy.

And everyone who isn't eligible to upgrade? Well you get a fantastic OS, and you can buy a nice case! Well played Apple. And I mean that without bitterness. Great product launch.