- South Africans should buy the iPhone X today, despite a new iPhone expected to be released next month, Apple Doctor CEO Sean Joffe believes.
- The weak dollar-rand exchange rate will make the next iPhone more expensive in South Africa, he says.
- Apple is expected to release three new iPhones in September, including a cheaper version with an LCD screen.
It is probably “not a bad time” to buy the R16,999 iPhone X – despite Apple possibly releasing new iPhones next month, says Apple Doctor CEO Sean Joffe.
“The significant weakening of exchange rate is going to make the next generation of iPhone X significantly more expensive than its predecessor,” Joffe told Business Insider South Africa.
“[Cellular] networks also have a tendency to flush out excess inventory ahead of a model change resulting usually in some great deals.”
Business Insider previously reported that Apple is planning to release three new iPhones in September.
READ: Apple is planning 3 new iPhone models this year
At least one of the three versions will have an LCD screen, used in older versions of the iPhone, and not the expensive OLED screens used in the current iPhone X.
This is expected to make one of the versions of the iPhone dramatically cheaper – but Joffe said it is unlikely that the price will trickle down to South African consumers.
“We are not expecting it to be cheaper; the exchange rate has probably eliminated that option.”
READ: I've used the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X — and the winner is clear
He expects the next version of the iPhone to be released in South Africa between October and November, in line with previous release cycles of Apple in the country.
“Our market is insignificant in terms of Apple iPhone sales numbers globally so we are simply not a priority for Apple,” Joffe says.
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