金融時報:挑戰(zhàn)果粉信仰的新iPhone

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2022年03月28日

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挑戰(zhàn)果粉信仰的新iPhone

“果粉”們期盼已久的蘋果新品發(fā)布會將在9月12日舉行，屆時蘋果將發(fā)布10周年紀念版iPhone。新款iPhone在顯示屏、攝像頭和總體設計上均有重大升級，預計售價將達到1000美元。面對史無前例的高昂價格，“果粉”的忠誠還經得住考驗嗎？

測試中可能遇到的詞匯和知識：

enthusiasm[?n'θu?ziæz?m] n. 熱忱，熱情

saturation[?sæt??'re??n] n. 飽和

continuous [k?n't?nju?s] adj. 連續(xù)的，繼續(xù)的

augmented [??g'ment?d] adj. 增強的，擴張的

slick[sl?k] adj. 光滑的；嫻熟的

elasticity[?i?læ'st?s?ti] n. 彈力，彈性

reckoning['rek?n??] n. 計算，算帳

Apple tests customer loyalty with $1,000 iPhone(511 words)

By Tim Bradshaw

Apple will this week test its customers’ loyalty, buying power and enthusiasm for innovation when it unveils the first iPhone to cost as much as $1,000.

Tuesday’s event at Apple’s new Cupertino headquarters is expected to reveal its much-anticipated 10th-anniversary iPhone, offering significant upgrades to the smartphone’s display, camera and overall design.

The high-end model is an addition to Apple’s line-up, alongside more incremental updates to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus released last year.

Analysts believe the launch will help Apple to overcome its growth problem of the last two years. In markets such as America and Europe, where smartphone ownership is close to saturation and many customers are holding on to their existing handsets for longer, the best way to drive faster revenue growth is by charging more for each device, rather than simply relying on unit growth.

At the same time, Apple is bringing in costly new components. These include an OLED display that makes the front of the phone into one continuous screen. Depth-sensing cameras will offer new “augmented reality” features and allow the device to be unlocked by face recognition, instead of fingerprint.

More advanced components are in short supply, however, which could leave many customers waiting long after September to get hold of the new iPhone. That presents an opportunity for rivals such as Samsung’s new Note 8 or Essential, the smartphone maker led by Android co-founder Andy Rubin, which is targeting premium customers such as Apple’s with its slick $699 device. Google is also said to be preparing a new version of its Pixel smartphone, which has proved popular with early adopters.

A survey by Creative Strategies and SurveyMonkey found that 21 per cent of consumers planning to buy the new iPhone would do so however much it cost, although 33 per cent of existing iPhone users said they would not upgrade if it was too expensive.

Analysts at Citi Research expect the “bill of materials” and assembly costs for the special-edition model to be $100 higher than for today’s iPhone 7, at an estimated $387. Half of that extra cost is due to the OLED display, which is available in more limited quantities from supplier Samsung Electronics than the LCD screens in previous iPhones.

To retain its gross margin of about 46 per cent, Wayne Lam of research group IHS predicts Apple will be forced to price the device at about $1,000.

“It is no secret that Apple has the highest profit margins in history,” he said. “This year will test the price elasticity of regular consumers.”

Some customers are prepared to pay more for their smartphones because the device has become so central to their daily lives, analysts say. Other smartphone makers are taking advantage of that: Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8, released next week, costs $960.

Still, it is more than most people spend on a PC these days. “Given that phones don’t necessarily last more than two years, it’s a big investment,” Mr Lam said. “There is an economic reckoning that needs to be had with the ever-increasing costs of devices.”

請根據你所讀到的文章內容，完成以下自測題目：

1.According to the article, why does Apple have growth problem in the last two years?

A. Because costumers in America and Europe will not upgrade their iPhone if it is too expensive.

B. Because costumers in America and Europe now tend to choose cheaper handsets.

C. Because costumers in America and Europe gradually lose their interest in iphone.

D. Because costumers in America and Europe upgrade their handsets slower than before.

答案(1)

2.Which is the most costly new component of the 10th-anniversary iPhone?

A. The depth-sensing camera.

B. The augmented reality device.

C. The face recognition.

D. The OLED display.