Marketing is marketing. I'm personally convinced a less-expensive plastic-encased iPhone is gonna happen. There's as much smoke rising from this rumor as there was for the iPad Mini, so there's a fire going IMO. But that doesn't make Cook and the rest of Apple management liars.
I personally don't get all this talk and obsession with a plastic case iPhone. Is that really going to make much of a difference to price? I mean, how much does the Aluminum case cost Apple anyway, maybe 10 bucks? The iSuppli teardown estimates it costs them about $200 per phone to make and most of the cost comes from the electronic components. Going to a plastic case is going to save like what, 1% off the full price? It doesn't make any sense for them to do this just to shave-off a couple of bucks. More importantly it won't be significantly cheaper to the customer like everyone's expecting.
I have said this elsewhere, but I I believe we will see a less expensive, well done entry level iPhone (iPhone 5E). It will be a thicker, plastic iPod touch-like device sharing the same iPod touch internals, display size and specs with the addition of a phone. It will come in multiple colors. The iPod touch sells for $299 for 32 GB, this is likely to be $329 for 16 GB (perhaps $299, but that would be pushing it).
All three phones a huge hit. Teenagers and developing countries wild for new multicolor iPhone 5E, businesses wild for fingerprint tech., older 4 users looking to upgrade happy with the 5 and the $99 price point.
Marketing is marketing. I'm personally convinced a less-expensive plastic-encased iPhone is gonna happen. There's as much smoke rising from this rumor as there was for the iPad Mini, so there's a fire going IMO. But that doesn't make Cook and the rest of Apple management liars.
Except that Apple said the iPad mini is the full iPad experience when it clearly isn't. That makes them liars to me. I spent a bit of time with one at a shop and honestly browsing and reading was a struggle because of its smaller, low resolution screen. The proper iPad was a joy to use in comparison. Even if they'd planned to upgrade it to retina in its second iteration the fact that they put out a clearly flawed product demonstrates that they don't care about customers. They could have waited and put out a retina iPad mini that was differentiated to the proper iPad by performance.
Apple is a marketing machine and what they say and do aren't necessarily the same thing. I wonder if Steve is rolling in his grave at the news of iPad minis (which he denounced in his lifetime) and cheap plastic iPhones. I have real concern about Apple's direction post Jobs. They seem to be losing their way. I think the iPhone 5 is a disappointing product too.
I wanted to wait before judging Tim Cook but I've decided that he doesn't have the charisma, instinct or respect for products to drive Apple. He is just a financial guy and these product line decisions sound like something economists would decide to maximise profitability. Jobs has admitted to making the wrong call in hiring people before. He should have made Jonny Ive CEO, maybe he wanted to but Jonny declined (we'll never know). At least Jonny respects design and really it's design that has traditionally been Apple's key selling point.
Considering how bad the durability is on the iPhone 5 I will be watching the new "plastic" iPhone with interest.
I have a Nokia Lumia 800 as a work phone and it's polycarbonate housing is really tough, although it does make the phone a bit chunky.
Originally I had the black iPhone 5 and the paint was wearing off the razor-thin edge. I managed to swap it for the white model but after using that without a case for 3 days a chip appeared in the sharp edge. At least the white model doesn't look as bad.
The iPhone 4/4S used stainless steel and was so much more durable.
I use a case for my iphone, not because I want too, but because I have too. It's just way too easy to scratch and not designed well in that regard at all. I'd love to use it as it is, but it would get wrecked way too fast.
Except that Apple said the iPad mini is the full iPad experience when it clearly isn't. That makes them liars to me. I spent a bit of time with one at a shop and honestly browsing and reading was a struggle because of its smaller, low resolution screen. The proper iPad was a joy to use in comparison. Even if they'd planned to upgrade it to retina in its second iteration the fact that they put out a clearly flawed product demonstrates that they don't care about customers. They could have waited and put out a retina iPad mini that was differentiated to the proper iPad by performance.
As someone who owns a mini (and a maxi) it IS the full size iPad experience. I use the mini more at home than I did the full size. And it's easier to take on the go.
Apple is a marketing machine and what they say and do aren't necessarily the same thing. I wonder if Steve is rolling in his grave at the news of iPad minis (which he denounced in his lifetime) and cheap plastic iPhones. I have real concern about Apple's direction post Jobs. They seem to be losing their way. I think the iPhone 5 is a disappointing product
I think it was the Samsung trial where on record Schiller (or somebody) said Steve warmed up to the "7 in." market.
Regarding this rumor I still don't see a way that the cheaper iPhone can be cheap enough to affect the unsubsidized market positively for Apple while not cannabalizing the flagship. They would have to lock it down to territories (highly unlikely) or limit iOS features (also highly unlikely) or limit the cheaper one to non-retina (currently not selling non-retina iPhones). And please note that this isn't the same argument as the iPad mini vs. maxi. Those are two different form factors and serve often-times different functions. Selling a cheaper 4" and a more expensive 4", both with Retina, both with Siri, both with full iOS 7, both in all markets, signals the cheaper one would win out.
If Apple makes a plastic version(LOL) they will have a bunch of class action lawsuits from lawyers arging that the case cracks/scatches/discolors/cancer induces etc etc unless Apple puts disclaimers out about these issues into new phone legal clause and share price will tank. Are there any class action suits currently on the iPhone 5? How quickly your attention span goes away, but thats to be expected mass ignorance in this space!!
If Apple doesn't make a phone they will get dragged thru the muck for not doing it.
You fools who think Apple is coming out with a cheaper model despite Apple's assertion they won't, are smoking something! Apple is not SamTurd. Have you actually held one of the cheaper Android smart phones in you hands? I have and I'm not impressed. And finally for all you wise guys out there who think the Galaxy S3 /note is a better phone, it costs more than the iPhone and is made of plastic! All I see, is perhaps more screen sizes for us older folks who have bad eyesight and those clowns who try to use a phone like a small tablet.
If Apple makes a plastic version(LOL) they will have a bunch of class action lawsuits from lawyers arging that the case cracks/scatches/discolors/cancer induces etc etc unless Apple puts disclaimers out about these issues into new phone legal clause and share price will tank. Are there any class action suits currently on the iPhone 5? How quickly your attention span goes away, but thats to be expected mass ignorance in this space!!
If Apple doesn't make a phone they will get dragged thru the muck for not doing it.
You fools who think Apple is coming out with a cheaper model despite Apple's assertion they won't, are smoking something! Apple is not SamTurd. Have you actually held one of the cheaper Android smart phones in you hands? I have and I'm not impressed. And finally for all you wise guys out there who think the Galaxy S3 /note is a better phone, it costs more than the iPhone and is made of plastic! All I see, is perhaps more screen sizes for us older folks who have bad eyesight and those clowns who try to use a phone like a small tablet.
NEXT INSANITY PLEASE!!!!!
So explain why this didn't happen with the 3G/3GS?
I'm glad to see this. Not all carriers subsidize the iPhone the same way the US carriers do, and post-paid services are not a norm everywhere in the world. In places where carriers don't subsidize the iPhone and people are unlikely to subscribe to post-paid plans, the iPhone (and all high-end phones in general) has a lot of trouble penetrating, which in my particular case means almost nobody around me has an iPhone, so services such as iMessage, FaceTime, etc. are completely lost on me. The more Apple can do to bring the iPhone to the masses, the better, because I'd really like to see more adoption of these services.
If Apple makes a plastic version(LOL) they will have a bunch of class action lawsuits from lawyers arging that the case cracks/scatches/discolors/cancer induces etc etc unless Apple puts disclaimers out about these issues into new phone legal clause and share price will tank. Are there any class action suits currently on the iPhone 5? How quickly your attention span goes away, but thats to be expected mass ignorance in this space!!
Of all the ridiculous reality-stretching slippery slope fallacies I've ever read on this site, I think this one takes the cake. It's hilarious how you jump to the conclusion that a plastic iPhone would actually crack or scratch easily when plastic phones have dominated the market for years without such things happening.
You fools who think Apple is coming out with a cheaper model despite Apple's assertion they won't, are smoking something! Apple is not SamTurd. Have you actually held one of the cheaper Android smart phones in you hands? I have and I'm not impressed. And finally for all you wise guys out there who think the Galaxy S3 /note is a better phone, it costs more than the iPhone and is made of plastic! All I see, is perhaps more screen sizes for us older folks who have bad eyesight and those clowns who try to use a phone like a small tablet.
Yes, because the iPad Mini, iPod Mini, iPod Shuffle, and iPod Nano never happened, right? Furthermore, cheap phones don't exist to impress you, they exist to sell you an ecosystem and hopefully compel you to buy other products that integrate into the same ecosystem.
What's with the hate for the democratization of the iPhone? Are you afraid of losing your special snowflake iStatus because of it? Because personally I'd be glad if the masses actually used Apple products and adopted Apple's services so that I can actually use them.
Regarding this rumor I still don't see a way that the cheaper iPhone can be cheap enough to affect the unsubsidized market positively for Apple while not cannabalizing the flagship. They would have to lock it down to territories (highly unlikely) or limit iOS features (also highly unlikely) or limit the cheaper one to non-retina (currently not selling non-retina iPhones). And please note that this isn't the same argument as the iPad mini vs. maxi. Those are two different form factors and serve often-times different functions. Selling a cheaper 4" and a more expensive 4", both with Retina, both with Siri, both with full iOS 7, both in all markets, signals the cheaper one would win out.
The iPhone 3GS would be sufficiently old yet sufficiently capable to accomplish that at this point, if they just stuck a front-facing camera in there to allow FaceTime to be used.
I'm sick of the idea of Apple giving people what they whine about.
Your view here is out of touch with reality. They're a corporation. Their management team will green light things that benefit the company in some way. It has nothing to do with with a few people talking about potential future products on here. If you're annoyed because it might appease someone, that is just spiteful.
The iPhone 3GS would be sufficiently old yet sufficiently capable to accomplish that at this point, if they just stuck a front-facing camera in there to allow FaceTime to be used.
What price point were you thinking of ? Similar lo-res screened devices are usually considered as low end, and sell for $100 to $150.
The Apple target is probably more the mid-range of $200 - $300, where there's a ton of competition from Huawei, ZTC, Samsung, Lenovo and others.
In China and India, $200 - $250 easily buys a 4" WVGA screened phone with 0.5+ GB RAM, 2-4GB Flash, 1GHz dual core CPU, A-GPS, 5MP rear camera, orientation sensors, and low cost microSD expansion of 32GB or more. Often, they also include dual SIM capability, which is popular to keep business and personal calls separate.
--
Who knows. Perhaps Tallest Skil is correct, and Apple will simply give up those huge markets without a fight.
OTOH, Apple has shown with the iPad Mini that they're willing to take lower cash profits in return for a high profit margin percentage-wise, so I could visualize them putting the iPhone 4 in a plastic case and selling it for ~$260 with a ~$160 BOM, which is ~40% gross like the iPads. Perhaps add a few dollars for the Apple name at first.
Comments
Now that's funny. He needs to add 'citation needed' to his trolling list.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gatorguy
Marketing is marketing. I'm personally convinced a less-expensive plastic-encased iPhone is gonna happen. There's as much smoke rising from this rumor as there was for the iPad Mini, so there's a fire going IMO. But that doesn't make Cook and the rest of Apple management liars.
I personally don't get all this talk and obsession with a plastic case iPhone. Is that really going to make much of a difference to price? I mean, how much does the Aluminum case cost Apple anyway, maybe 10 bucks? The iSuppli teardown estimates it costs them about $200 per phone to make and most of the cost comes from the electronic components. Going to a plastic case is going to save like what, 1% off the full price? It doesn't make any sense for them to do this just to shave-off a couple of bucks. More importantly it won't be significantly cheaper to the customer like everyone's expecting.
Looks like a rumored prototype to me. Not really newsworthy, unless Apple makes a "budget" iPhone like they made a "budget" tablet.
Note: they don't lie: iPad Mini is not a cheap iPad, it is a expensive not-so-good iPad.
Then again, everyone who reads my posts knows I find the Mini despicable (but can't wait for iPad, version 5).
I have said this elsewhere, but I I believe we will see a less expensive, well done entry level iPhone (iPhone 5E). It will be a thicker, plastic iPod touch-like device sharing the same iPod touch internals, display size and specs with the addition of a phone. It will come in multiple colors. The iPod touch sells for $299 for 32 GB, this is likely to be $329 for 16 GB (perhaps $299, but that would be pushing it).
The contract line up would be:
iPhone 5S $199 (fingerprint tech, faster, better camera)
iPhone 5 $ 99
iPhone 5E $0 (multicolor)
All 4 inch displays, all LTE, all Siri, all iOS7
No, 4 or 4S.
All three phones a huge hit. Teenagers and developing countries wild for new multicolor iPhone 5E, businesses wild for fingerprint tech., older 4 users looking to upgrade happy with the 5 and the $99 price point.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gatorguy
Marketing is marketing. I'm personally convinced a less-expensive plastic-encased iPhone is gonna happen. There's as much smoke rising from this rumor as there was for the iPad Mini, so there's a fire going IMO. But that doesn't make Cook and the rest of Apple management liars.
Except that Apple said the iPad mini is the full iPad experience when it clearly isn't. That makes them liars to me. I spent a bit of time with one at a shop and honestly browsing and reading was a struggle because of its smaller, low resolution screen. The proper iPad was a joy to use in comparison. Even if they'd planned to upgrade it to retina in its second iteration the fact that they put out a clearly flawed product demonstrates that they don't care about customers. They could have waited and put out a retina iPad mini that was differentiated to the proper iPad by performance.
Apple is a marketing machine and what they say and do aren't necessarily the same thing. I wonder if Steve is rolling in his grave at the news of iPad minis (which he denounced in his lifetime) and cheap plastic iPhones. I have real concern about Apple's direction post Jobs. They seem to be losing their way. I think the iPhone 5 is a disappointing product too.
I wanted to wait before judging Tim Cook but I've decided that he doesn't have the charisma, instinct or respect for products to drive Apple. He is just a financial guy and these product line decisions sound like something economists would decide to maximise profitability. Jobs has admitted to making the wrong call in hiring people before. He should have made Jonny Ive CEO, maybe he wanted to but Jonny declined (we'll never know). At least Jonny respects design and really it's design that has traditionally been Apple's key selling point.
I have a Nokia Lumia 800 as a work phone and it's polycarbonate housing is really tough, although it does make the phone a bit chunky.
Originally I had the black iPhone 5 and the paint was wearing off the razor-thin edge. I managed to swap it for the white model but after using that without a case for 3 days a chip appeared in the sharp edge. At least the white model doesn't look as bad.
The iPhone 4/4S used stainless steel and was so much more durable.
I think it was the Samsung trial where on record Schiller (or somebody) said Steve warmed up to the "7 in." market.
Regarding this rumor I still don't see a way that the cheaper iPhone can be cheap enough to affect the unsubsidized market positively for Apple while not cannabalizing the flagship. They would have to lock it down to territories (highly unlikely) or limit iOS features (also highly unlikely) or limit the cheaper one to non-retina (currently not selling non-retina iPhones). And please note that this isn't the same argument as the iPad mini vs. maxi. Those are two different form factors and serve often-times different functions. Selling a cheaper 4" and a more expensive 4", both with Retina, both with Siri, both with full iOS 7, both in all markets, signals the cheaper one would win out.
Maybe it will e called "iM*ucked6 or iScratch
I agree with one of the previous posters:
If Apple makes a plastic version(LOL) they will have a bunch of class action lawsuits from lawyers arging that the case cracks/scatches/discolors/cancer induces etc etc unless Apple puts disclaimers out about these issues into new phone legal clause and share price will tank. Are there any class action suits currently on the iPhone 5? How quickly your attention span goes away, but thats to be expected mass ignorance in this space!!
If Apple doesn't make a phone they will get dragged thru the muck for not doing it.
You fools who think Apple is coming out with a cheaper model despite Apple's assertion they won't, are smoking something! Apple is not SamTurd. Have you actually held one of the cheaper Android smart phones in you hands? I have and I'm not impressed. And finally for all you wise guys out there who think the Galaxy S3 /note is a better phone, it costs more than the iPhone and is made of plastic! All I see, is perhaps more screen sizes for us older folks who have bad eyesight and those clowns who try to use a phone like a small tablet.
NEXT INSANITY PLEASE!!!!!
So explain why this didn't happen with the 3G/3GS?
Of all the ridiculous reality-stretching slippery slope fallacies I've ever read on this site, I think this one takes the cake. It's hilarious how you jump to the conclusion that a plastic iPhone would actually crack or scratch easily when plastic phones have dominated the market for years without such things happening.
Yes, because the iPad Mini, iPod Mini, iPod Shuffle, and iPod Nano never happened, right? Furthermore, cheap phones don't exist to impress you, they exist to sell you an ecosystem and hopefully compel you to buy other products that integrate into the same ecosystem.
That would be your post.
What's with the hate for the democratization of the iPhone? Are you afraid of losing your special snowflake iStatus because of it? Because personally I'd be glad if the masses actually used Apple products and adopted Apple's services so that I can actually use them.
The iPhone 3GS would be sufficiently old yet sufficiently capable to accomplish that at this point, if they just stuck a front-facing camera in there to allow FaceTime to be used.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
I'm sick of the idea of Apple giving people what they whine about.
Your view here is out of touch with reality. They're a corporation. Their management team will green light things that benefit the company in some way. It has nothing to do with with a few people talking about potential future products on here. If you're annoyed because it might appease someone, that is just spiteful.
Originally Posted by hmm
Your view here is out of touch with reality.
Nah, remember the '90s? And even earlier, really. Design by committee doesn't work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vaelian
The iPhone 3GS would be sufficiently old yet sufficiently capable to accomplish that at this point, if they just stuck a front-facing camera in there to allow FaceTime to be used.
What price point were you thinking of ? Similar lo-res screened devices are usually considered as low end, and sell for $100 to $150.
The Apple target is probably more the mid-range of $200 - $300, where there's a ton of competition from Huawei, ZTC, Samsung, Lenovo and others.
In China and India, $200 - $250 easily buys a 4" WVGA screened phone with 0.5+ GB RAM, 2-4GB Flash, 1GHz dual core CPU, A-GPS, 5MP rear camera, orientation sensors, and low cost microSD expansion of 32GB or more. Often, they also include dual SIM capability, which is popular to keep business and personal calls separate.
--
Who knows. Perhaps Tallest Skil is correct, and Apple will simply give up those huge markets without a fight.
OTOH, Apple has shown with the iPad Mini that they're willing to take lower cash profits in return for a high profit margin percentage-wise, so I could visualize them putting the iPhone 4 in a plastic case and selling it for ~$260 with a ~$160 BOM, which is ~40% gross like the iPads. Perhaps add a few dollars for the Apple name at first.
Thoughts?