People that don't live in the US or buy their phone outright don't want to pay $450+ for a 3 year old cell phone...
This.
The rest of the world lives on prepaid phones. Contracts and subsidies are not the norm. A $200 off contract phone would be killer. I don't think it will happen if it's not Siri Enabled, or not 4" retina (the new std size). 8GB, nonLTE would be possible, but the interface std is set.
It's the $80 per month that keeps people away form the iphone, not the hardware cost. The subsidized $99 4S is dirt cheap...
Sure, but as you note it's a subsidy price which means that you are in a contract and potentially have to pay for more services than you want or need simply to have that product. I think the $99 iPhone has a retail price of $450.
Also note that the US has over half the cellphone users on smartphones so that's already pretty saturated. I assume this rumour is geared more for developing nations. I wonder if a device closer to the iPod Touch but with 2G/3G talk capabilities, 2G data, and some 3G data (bit not the highest 3GPP release) could keep the cost down. With the iPod Touch at $299 it's still pricey unless they drop the minimum capacity from 32GB to 8GB or 16GB. Still, It's hard to imagine Apple would sell an iPhone for any less than $300 retail and I wonder if it has to.
They ALREADY make a cheaper iPhone. The 4s is $99. The 4 is .99 or free. How can you get cheaper than that? Most people are fine with last year's phone, especially if they're new to iOS anyway.
This guy is a fool.
That because apple does not sell the phone for that much it is the service providers doing this to draw in a customer for 2 or more yrs so they give the phone away to do so.
There is a whole group of people who do to want a 2 yr contract and only want to pay for what they use so the buy the phone outright and go month to month on the service, You ask why month to month, because when the run out of money and decide to pay another bill or maybe buy food that month they turn off the phone. We live in a work where everyone feel that should have everything everyone else has even though they can not afford it. It would be like gas stations giving away Farraris so you keep buy their gas fr the next 10 yrs.
It's the $80 per month that keeps people away form the iphone, not the hardware cost. The subsidized $99 4S is dirt cheap...
Yes, you nailed it. And the only way to address this is to produce a different format, something like a flip phone or small screen phone that appeals to a totally different audience. It will be functionally constrained, therefore, data constrained, therefore, offered at much lower data costs. Email, text, voice, iPod, WiFi, limited camera...but no internet browser or gaming. Hardware cost: $199.
Could they tweak the iPod Nano to make it a phone?...possibly.
You'd see parents lined up to buy for their kids. Or adults that are sick/tired of carrying 4" screens around in their pockets. And yes, poorer people who get a phone that is fully subsidized and with an inexpensive data plan.
I keep reading this statement on different sites but with all things Apple, if their not padding their bottom line with the release it probably won't survive.
Maybe we are defacto American, "all the way with LBJ" and all that.
If you'd like, join the Union. I help with maps in someone's alternate history timeline, and we're working out US state divisions for you guys.
Of course, in this timeline, Australia is won from the UK in a war that takes place around 1812, so in 1847 the continent isn't fully settled or stated yet. Heck, you guys still have some territories right now anyway, right?
So you have given me the first spec... the screen size will be 3.5".
Anything else?
The point of the device would be to hit a lower price point without diluting the iOS experience. They could do that by starting with a 3GS, giving it an A4 chip, and a more attractive form factor. It's not going to be about raw specs but creating an entry level iPhone experience for $200ish.
What will differentiate the smaller iPhone from the premium iPhones? Features (Siri), Speed, and Screen (Quality/Size). But in every other way the "Nano" can be an iPhone.
Yes, you nailed it. And the only way to address this is to produce a different format, something like a flip phone or small screen phone that appeals to a totally different audience. It will be functionally constrained, therefore, data constrained, therefore, offered at much lower data costs. Email, text, voice, iPod, WiFi, limited camera...but no internet browser or gaming. Hardware cost: $199.
Could they tweak the iPod Nano to make it a phone?...possibly.
You'd see parents lined up to buy for their kids. Or adults that are sick/tired of carrying 4" screens around in their pockets. And yes, poorer people who get a phone that is fully subsidized and with an inexpensive data plan.
I believe I read that the fastest growing segment is the pre-paid phone. Which is not as profitable for the Telecom businesses as the Contract side. I have entertained chucking my iPhone for a dumb phone and a $50/mo. expense vs. my Sprint's $93/mo. bill.
But I would end up carrying more "gadgets." E.g., a camera, a GPS unit, and an iPad or MBA. For $43, it just doesn't seem worth it to give up the iPhone.
The point of the device would be to hit a lower price point without diluting the iOS experience. They could do that by starting with a 3GS, giving it an A4 chip, and a more attractive form factor. It's not going to be about raw specs but creating an entry level iPhone experience for $200ish.
What will differentiate the smaller iPhone from the premium iPhones? Features (Siri), Speed, and Screen (Quality/Size). But in every other way the "Nano" can be an iPhone.
"The problem with the current approach of selling outdated handsets for "free" is that the handsets are obviously outdated." - Blackbook
Even with a new form factor wouldn't any iPhone with an A4 chip be considered outdated? By next year they could use an updated 4... that might work.
Still not sure how Apple could do it without killing margins... and we all know what will happen to the stock price if there is any mention of lower margins... even if they sell 100 million of them in one quarter.
I have to say though, that I think that Cook is more concerned with market share than Jobs... your example, the iPad Mini, is why I think that.
They ALREADY make a cheaper iPhone. The 4s is $99. The 4 is .99 or free. How can you get cheaper than that? Most people are fine with last year's phone, especially if they're new to iOS anyway.
This guy is a fool.
They mean the unsubsidized price. Currently, Apple's phone price is pricing it away from some prepaid customers. Not sure that matters to Apple, but $649 is a lot of money to hand over for an unlocked phone.
Yes, you nailed it. And the only way to address this is to produce a different format, something like a flip phone or small screen phone that appeals to a totally different audience. It will be functionally constrained, therefore, data constrained, therefore, offered at much lower data costs. Email, text, voice, iPod, WiFi, limited camera...but no internet browser or gaming. Hardware cost: $199.
Could they tweak the iPod Nano to make it a phone?...possibly.
You'd see parents lined up to buy for their kids. Or adults that are sick/tired of carrying 4" screens around in their pockets. And yes, poorer people who get a phone that is fully subsidized and with an inexpensive data plan.
That's another possibility that I think would be great for an iPhone Nano.
Microsoft sold the KIN for free-$100 (depending on the model) with WIFI and Verizon required NO DATA contract for it, only a voice plan.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackbook
People that don't live in the US or buy their phone outright don't want to pay $450+ for a 3 year old cell phone...
This.
The rest of the world lives on prepaid phones. Contracts and subsidies are not the norm. A $200 off contract phone would be killer. I don't think it will happen if it's not Siri Enabled, or not 4" retina (the new std size). 8GB, nonLTE would be possible, but the interface std is set.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackbook
Same argument can be made for the iPad Mini...
So you have given me the first spec... the screen size will be 3.5".
Anything else?
Sure, but as you note it's a subsidy price which means that you are in a contract and potentially have to pay for more services than you want or need simply to have that product. I think the $99 iPhone has a retail price of $450.
Also note that the US has over half the cellphone users on smartphones so that's already pretty saturated. I assume this rumour is geared more for developing nations. I wonder if a device closer to the iPod Touch but with 2G/3G talk capabilities, 2G data, and some 3G data (bit not the highest 3GPP release) could keep the cost down. With the iPod Touch at $299 it's still pricey unless they drop the minimum capacity from 32GB to 8GB or 16GB. Still, It's hard to imagine Apple would sell an iPhone for any less than $300 retail and I wonder if it has to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
See, you don't matter because you're still first world.
Apple MUST create a $100 off-contract phone for the third world (so that they can then go pay $70 a month for forced data), otherwise they will fail.
Maybe we are defacto American, "all the way with LBJ" and all that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by allenbf
They ALREADY make a cheaper iPhone. The 4s is $99. The 4 is .99 or free. How can you get cheaper than that? Most people are fine with last year's phone, especially if they're new to iOS anyway.
This guy is a fool.
That because apple does not sell the phone for that much it is the service providers doing this to draw in a customer for 2 or more yrs so they give the phone away to do so.
There is a whole group of people who do to want a 2 yr contract and only want to pay for what they use so the buy the phone outright and go month to month on the service, You ask why month to month, because when the run out of money and decide to pay another bill or maybe buy food that month they turn off the phone. We live in a work where everyone feel that should have everything everyone else has even though they can not afford it. It would be like gas stations giving away Farraris so you keep buy their gas fr the next 10 yrs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnmcboston
It's the $80 per month that keeps people away form the iphone, not the hardware cost. The subsidized $99 4S is dirt cheap...
Yes, you nailed it. And the only way to address this is to produce a different format, something like a flip phone or small screen phone that appeals to a totally different audience. It will be functionally constrained, therefore, data constrained, therefore, offered at much lower data costs. Email, text, voice, iPod, WiFi, limited camera...but no internet browser or gaming. Hardware cost: $199.
Could they tweak the iPod Nano to make it a phone?...possibly.
You'd see parents lined up to buy for their kids. Or adults that are sick/tired of carrying 4" screens around in their pockets. And yes, poorer people who get a phone that is fully subsidized and with an inexpensive data plan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOtherGeoff
The rest of the world lives on prepaid phones.
Really?
The rest of the world?
Lives on prepaid phones?
(Hint:- see my earlier post.)
Telco's like money, phones on contracts are good for making it, pull your head out of your US-centric butt and smell the roses.
Originally Posted by hill60
Maybe we are defacto American, "all the way with LBJ" and all that.
If you'd like, join the Union. I help with maps in someone's alternate history timeline, and we're working out US state divisions for you guys.
Of course, in this timeline, Australia is won from the UK in a war that takes place around 1812, so in 1847 the continent isn't fully settled or stated yet. Heck, you guys still have some territories right now anyway, right?
Who cares if Apple has a lower market share, as long as they earn most of the market's profits?! BTW, currently about 3/4!!
But it is highly highly unlikely
Yep. They kept saying 'another iPad in the Fall' and it happened so now they figure if they bring back the other rumors those will happen also
Quote:
Originally Posted by island hermit
So you have given me the first spec... the screen size will be 3.5".
Anything else?
The point of the device would be to hit a lower price point without diluting the iOS experience. They could do that by starting with a 3GS, giving it an A4 chip, and a more attractive form factor. It's not going to be about raw specs but creating an entry level iPhone experience for $200ish.
What will differentiate the smaller iPhone from the premium iPhones? Features (Siri), Speed, and Screen (Quality/Size). But in every other way the "Nano" can be an iPhone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drewys808
Yes, you nailed it. And the only way to address this is to produce a different format, something like a flip phone or small screen phone that appeals to a totally different audience. It will be functionally constrained, therefore, data constrained, therefore, offered at much lower data costs. Email, text, voice, iPod, WiFi, limited camera...but no internet browser or gaming. Hardware cost: $199.
Could they tweak the iPod Nano to make it a phone?...possibly.
You'd see parents lined up to buy for their kids. Or adults that are sick/tired of carrying 4" screens around in their pockets. And yes, poorer people who get a phone that is fully subsidized and with an inexpensive data plan.
I believe I read that the fastest growing segment is the pre-paid phone. Which is not as profitable for the Telecom businesses as the Contract side. I have entertained chucking my iPhone for a dumb phone and a $50/mo. expense vs. my Sprint's $93/mo. bill.
But I would end up carrying more "gadgets." E.g., a camera, a GPS unit, and an iPad or MBA. For $43, it just doesn't seem worth it to give up the iPhone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackbook
The point of the device would be to hit a lower price point without diluting the iOS experience. They could do that by starting with a 3GS, giving it an A4 chip, and a more attractive form factor. It's not going to be about raw specs but creating an entry level iPhone experience for $200ish.
What will differentiate the smaller iPhone from the premium iPhones? Features (Siri), Speed, and Screen (Quality/Size). But in every other way the "Nano" can be an iPhone.
"The problem with the current approach of selling outdated handsets for "free" is that the handsets are obviously outdated." - Blackbook
Even with a new form factor wouldn't any iPhone with an A4 chip be considered outdated? By next year they could use an updated 4... that might work.
Still not sure how Apple could do it without killing margins... and we all know what will happen to the stock price if there is any mention of lower margins... even if they sell 100 million of them in one quarter.
I have to say though, that I think that Cook is more concerned with market share than Jobs... your example, the iPad Mini, is why I think that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by allenbf
They ALREADY make a cheaper iPhone. The 4s is $99. The 4 is .99 or free. How can you get cheaper than that? Most people are fine with last year's phone, especially if they're new to iOS anyway.
This guy is a fool.
They mean the unsubsidized price. Currently, Apple's phone price is pricing it away from some prepaid customers. Not sure that matters to Apple, but $649 is a lot of money to hand over for an unlocked phone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drewys808
Yes, you nailed it. And the only way to address this is to produce a different format, something like a flip phone or small screen phone that appeals to a totally different audience. It will be functionally constrained, therefore, data constrained, therefore, offered at much lower data costs. Email, text, voice, iPod, WiFi, limited camera...but no internet browser or gaming. Hardware cost: $199.
Could they tweak the iPod Nano to make it a phone?...possibly.
You'd see parents lined up to buy for their kids. Or adults that are sick/tired of carrying 4" screens around in their pockets. And yes, poorer people who get a phone that is fully subsidized and with an inexpensive data plan.
That's another possibility that I think would be great for an iPhone Nano.
Microsoft sold the KIN for free-$100 (depending on the model) with WIFI and Verizon required NO DATA contract for it, only a voice plan.