Here’s How Chinese Media Are Reacting to the New iPhone Lineup

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So here come the iPhone X and iPhone 8, but none of them come with any real surprises other than making Apple’s smartphone lineup more complex than ever. Media outlets in China are not so optimistic about the new model’s future, jokingly calling the iPhone X “a smartphone with bangs.” Here’s what China’s media are saying about the new iPhone lineup:

The Paper reports that the iPhone X is the most expensive iPhone in history, but that the Face ID and the Animoji features deserve some applause. The state-owned Global Times reported that it’s complicated for consumers to choose from Apple’s lineup of eight different smartphone products, which may have strayed from Steve Job’s principle of “less is more.”

Global Times also suggested that, while Apple had led smartphone innovation trends in the past, over the past two years, Apple’s products have seemed to lack significant innovation. This time around, Apple is only showing off its Face ID and full-screen display technology, neither of which show the world any significant breakthrough, Global Times suggests.

In addition, with Xiaomi launching its Mi Mix 2 this Monday, also with a full-screen display, it’s fair to say that the era of “full-screen display” is already here. So does this mark the end of the iPhone's leadership in the field?

Huxiu, another Chinese media outlet, says now that both Apple and Xiaomi are releasing products with the full-screen display, it’s the consumer’s decision to go with either “bangs” or “a chin,” a reference to the Mi Mix 2's narrow bezel at the bottom of the phone's body.

While the new iPhones will only be available weeks after the launch event, scalpers are already trying to cash in on the release. Local media reports that some enterprising folk are pre-selling their loot for over RMB 20,000 (roughly USD 3,062). The high price tag of the iPhone X is indeed a legitimate concern for Chinese consumers, where local media are reporting that the new iPhone lineup comes with no surprises but a high price tag.

In fact, after Xiaomi announced Mi Mix last year, smartphones with full-screen displays have seemingly become a new fad, Global Times reports. Aside from Xiaomi, smartphone manufacturers like Samsung, Vivo, and Nubia are also billed to release new models with full-screen displays. The Samsung S8 has also added facial recognition software, whereas the Vivo will equip its upcoming X20 – to be released in a few weeks – with the same technology, according to local media.

Photo: giga.de