Apple Leak Hints At Possible iPhone X Cancellation, ‘Batterygate’ Intensifies

It looks like there will be no 2017 iPhone X in the near future if rumors prove true. According to a popular Apple leakster, the tech giant’s flagship smartphone will soon be canceled due to a disappointing performance in the market.

Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for KGI Securities, said the demand for the iPhone X is weak and will likely be canceled soon, as AppleInsider reported. Kuo believes that the “end of life” of the iPhone X is imminent as Apple is likely to cease production in the summer. In fact, Apple has already reduced production of its anniversary iPhone, according to the rumor. An estimated 18 million iPhone X units are scheduled to be shipped during the first quarter of this year.

The acclaimed analyst also said that the iPhone X is not performing well in China, where big-screened smartphones are a thing. The main reason why the iPhone X is not selling as expected is its design.

Ever since the design of the iPhone X was leaked and later revealed, tech fans have had mostly negative reactions to the notch on the top portion of the screen. This is the same reason why the reception for the iPhone X in China is surprisingly poor, Kuo said in a research note obtained by AppleInsider. The notch has led people, especially the Chinese, to think that there is less space on the screen to work with. They believe that Apple took out too much usable space by cutting out the notch from the screen in favor of the iPhone’s sensors.

If the rumor proves true, the iPhone X will only be the first iPhone model to be canceled after only one generation since Apple did so in 2014 with the iPhone 5C, according to Forbes. It’s not all bad news for Apple, however, as the tech conglomerate will be releasing a total of three iPhones by fall of 2018. This means Apple could still possibly have a 5 percent growth in the first half of the year. Kuo also thinks that there will be a 10 percent growth by the end of the year or when the iPhone X is replaced by the other new iPhones, particularly the second generation 5.8-inch iPhone X, the 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus, and the 6.1-inch iPhone SE. The latter of the three will have Apple’s Face ID technology.

The timid reception to the iPhone X is not the only thing that’s bugging Apple lately. The tech giant is also facing criminal complaints filed by some groups regarding its move to shorten the life of its smartphones, otherwise known as “batterygate.”

According to The Verge, the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office is investigating reports that Apple deliberately slowed down iPhones that are using older batteries. This development came after Citizen United for Consumer Sovereignty filed a complaint against Apple for intentionally reducing the performances of older iPhones to upgrade to newer ones sooner. Apple has already denied the accusations through an open letter.