New iPhone Leak 'Confirms' Significant Design Decision

We know the iPhone X will not last long, but now it seems Apple AAPL +0.26% has already given the first cancellation order. And the source could not be more credible... 

Newly published papers by the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reveal Apple scrapped a third variant of the iPhone X just prior to launch. Apple filed paperwork for a gold edition (similar to the gold iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus) to the FCC in September, but the model made it to market.

We know this because Apple’s six-month confidentiality clause with the FCC just expired. Given Apple’s passion for secrecy, it is seemingly unthinkable that the company would go ahead with a belated launch after the variant was already revealed to the world.

We will never know why Apple pulled out of this launch. But it seems safe to say production issues (which hit the iPhone X hard prior to launch) probably played a factor, while Apple was unlikely to take a risks with any durability issues after complaints with the Jet Black editions of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

In fact, I’m willing to bet quite heavily on the latter as Apple failed to release this gold edition even after production constraints were lifted while the iPhone X was also left out of the (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus refreshes last week. Given the iPhone X is unique in using a stainless steel frame (other iPhones use aluminium), that looks like the culprit.

Then again, this all plays into the wider narrative that the iPhone X will be cancelled in September. Unlike previous iPhone models, it is understood Apple has no desire to sell the iPhone X at a reduced price after launching its new models because it will clash with an all-new iPhone X SE at this lower price point.

And that is just one of three iPhone X-inspired new models coming soon.

I suspect with its next generation, Apple will have worked out how to paint the iPhone X any colour it likes…

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