Apple is set to roll out its newest iPhones and smartwatches in the UAE on Friday.
The company announced its latest lineup earlier this month at its annual product event at its US headquarters in Cupertino.
While the new iPhones have a few superlative additions - the 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are equipped with the world's fastest data processing chip, covered in the toughest glass and have the brightest display of any smartphone - they do not add up to a major upgrade compared to Apple's current models.
"New phones will sell well but they are mostly for consumers that have a two or three year-old iPhone," Abbas Ali, managing editor of TechRadar Middle East, told The National.
Like the iPhone X and the XS, the iPhone 11 Pro is expensive relative to the smartphone market (priced at Dh4,219) and has a similar design to previous models, added Mr Ali.
However, industry analysts say the lower cost iPhone 11, priced at Dh2,949 and Dh230 cheaper than the budget-conscious iPhone XR rolled out last year, could help boost sales and be the best-selling model in the Middle East.
“Like the XR, it will outsell its pricier siblings. It’s a great phone at a pretty good price and a solid update for anyone using an iPhone 8 or older,” said Mr Ali.
The tech giant is grappling with falling device sales. Apple's net profit dropped 13 per cent year-on-year to Dh36.88 billion in the last quarter to June after it sold just over 38 million iPhones in the quarter, a 13.8 per cent drop over the previous year.
Apple is selling its new phones within two weeks of announcing its updates, which is a good move, according to analysts. The early excitement could help Apple boost its sales during the US Thanksgiving and holiday shopping season.
But an absence of 5G support and a weightier device may hamper sales, said Neil Campling, co-head Global Thematic Group at Mirabaud Securities.
The iPhone 11 Pro Max weighs 226 grams compared to iPhone XS at 177 grams and Samsung Galaxy Note 10 (launched last month) at 168 grams.
