Apple sells more iPhone XR than any other model, but that might not mean much

At a time when he usually sits and counts money, Apple is in full damage control mode. It started with his Black Friday sale, which lasted four days this year instead of one. The recovery value of older phones then increased when you upgrade to the iPhone XR or XS. And now it is clear that we must not worry.

In an interview with CNET, Greg Joswiak, vice president of Apple, said the iPhone XR "was our most popular iPhone ever since the day it became available. Reuters told the publication that the XR was "the most popular product and the best-selling iPhone from Apple" since its launch on Oct. 26.

On the surface, it's great news for Apple. Although the iPhone XR is the cheapest of the latest Apple phones, reports sparse suggest that it was not the expected success, and Apple's shares fell precipitously (among other factors). Apple now claims that the iPhone XR is not selling well, it is selling better than any other iPhone in the last 33 days. But that number might not mean as much as you think.

The numbers game

On the one hand, there are two models of iPhone XS, the standard model of 5.8 inches and the Max model of 6.5 inches, which cost significantly more than the iPhone XR at 750 $. From the start, it divides sales of flagship phones. And there is not too much difference between them and the XR, the cheaper model actually having a larger screen than the iPhone XS.

Christopher Hebert / IDG

So, let's say Apple sells 100 phones a day (lol, I know). We can assume that 30 of them are from older models (iPhone 8 and 7), which leaves us with 70. Then, suppose that Apple sells 40 iPhone XS and XS Max (20 per argument). There are 30 iPhones left for the XR. So, although it has technically surpassed all iPhone models, Apple has sold more older phones and more iPhone XS in this example. And there are a million ways to break it down and get similar results.

Even beyond, the iPhone XR is significantly cheaper than the XS and the XS Max. It should therefore be the best-selling iPhone. Plus, it's a newer month. So, what does "top-selling" really mean? Everything is a question of spin, something that Apple adapts strongly. Do not forget that Apple is selling maybe 80 iPhone XRs on 100 iPhones every day, but we do not know it and will never do it.

When Apple announced that the iPhone X was the best-selling phone every week during the holiday quarter of last year, it was just as vague, but it had a deeper meaning. Apple was testing whether its customers were willing to spend a thousand dollars on an iPhone and the popularity of the X proved it. The average selling price has skyrocketed, competitors rushed to copy it, and the notch has become an iconic symbol of Apple's status.

That is not the case here. By claiming that the iPhone XR is the best-selling phone, Apple basically says that it's not a flop. Joswiak's remarks could hit the headlines and create good public relations, but that will not stop questions about iPhone sales. That's about all that happens, that's what will happen now. Since Apple will stop reporting unit sales, these types of vague sales reports will suffice to gauge the success of a given iPhone model.

And it's a distortion of reality that would make Steve Jobs proud.