With the countdown under way for the release of the iPhone 8, there has been a marked decrease in sales of the iPhone 7.

Diana DeSilva, who works at one of the island’s technology stores, Audio Visual Electronics, on Washington Street in Hamilton, commenting on the trend, said: “Bermudians love the latest and greatest technologies and more people are waiting for the iPhone 8 to come out, therefore sales have dropped for the 7.”

The latest iPhone is expected to be released before the end of this year, although Apple has not confirmed a launch date. There have been rumours the new phone could be on sale as early as next month.

While there is high interest in the iPhone 8, other advanced technologies are also proving popular with locals, such as the G-Box and the Amazon Fire TV Stick.

The two items are big sellers according to Cisco Aquiar, a sales associate at the Audio Visual Electronics store on Mangrove Bay Road, Somerset.

The Fire TV Stick is a small device, about the size of a flash drive, that plugs into a television’s HDMI port. It enables any television to stream content over WiFi such as YouTube, Amazon Video, NBC, Disney and Netflix, some of which require subscription.

The G-Box is another cable TV alternative that plays streaming media.

Mr Aquiar said the two devices are among the most popular buys at the store. He added: “The G-Box and the Fire Stick are pretty much the same, but the G-Box is $100 cheaper.”

Keeping up with new consumer technology is important for many locals and they appreciate the advances, especially when they reflect back on the gadgets they once used.

Bermuda resident David Henry said: “I remember the first phone I had was a Motorola. It did not even have a screen, just the numbers. Now with my Samsung Note 5 I have everything in the palms of my hands.”

While Anthony Glenn said: “I remember the days when I had a VCR [video cassette recorder], and I had to find the right spot-on the VHS tape to record television shows. Now I can record what I want on the DVR without any hassle.”

He mentioned that he a keeps up to date on the latest trends and owns a Fire Stick. He added: “I plan to buy the iPhone 8 once it is released this fall.”