During development, Apple's gold iPhone 5s was jokingly called the 'Kardashian'

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple employees had a humorous nickname for the gold iPhone 5s as they were planning to release the new color option: They called it "The Kardashian Phone."

Style


The nickname, in honor of socialite Kim Kardashian, was first revealed by New York Times reporter Nick Bilton this week on his Twitter account. The information was later corroborated by TechCrunch, though reporter Matthew Panzarino seemed somewhat embarrassed by the proceedings.

"We confirmed the nickname with our sources. Yes, we asked this question of our sources," he wrote.

There are companies that re-color Apple devices, like the iPhone, to give customers a unique device. Kardashian herself was among those who obtained a gold iPhone 5, and boasted about it on Twitter.

I love my gold iPhone 5 by http://t.co/x14clif7 -- thanks @boygenius http://t.co/4wxmwb7T

-- Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian)


Apple this year changed up the color options with its flagship iPhone model, for the first time offering a new gold option. The iPhone 5s does not come in black, like the iPhone 5 did, but is instead available in "space gray" and white.

Early indications suggest the gold iPhone 5s has been a smash hit, with availability of the device extremely limited in the face of what is presumably strong demand.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 39
    Have a gold 5S (as of yesterday). It be a thing of beauty :)
  • Reply 2 of 39
    So. Even Apple knew the gold iPhone was [S]Kardashian trashian[/S] fabulously trendy.
  • Reply 3 of 39
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    OK.
  • Reply 4 of 39
    I call it my Persian phone. Actually, it is amazingly subtle and well done—not the gaudy, nouveau riche bauble I feared. Now I need to find a minimal clear bumper to avoid "hiding its light under a bushel."
  • Reply 5 of 39

    That shows what crap the development team has become after Steve Jobs left :wow:

     

    Yucks that Kartrashian SUCKS!  

     

    Apple product developers- Look at her sex tape, her body is so ugly. Could not find some beauty? :p 

     

    Better not name Bigger Screen iPhone 6 Donald Trump <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />

  • Reply 6 of 39
    froodfrood Posts: 771member

    My condolences.

  • Reply 7 of 39
    One talent-less fake gold-plated piece of crap named after another talent-less fake piece of crap. How appropriate.
  • Reply 8 of 39
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by goblynn93 View Post



    One talent-less fake gold-plated piece of crap named after another talent-less fake piece of crap. How appropriate.

    Get some sleep, bro!

  • Reply 9 of 39
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member

    Originally Posted by helicopterben View Post

     

    That shows what crap the development team has become after Steve Jobs left :wow:

    ...


     

    So you think Steve Jobs should return to Apple?

    /S

  • Reply 10 of 39

    Conan called it:

  • Reply 11 of 39
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Mark Gurman from 9to5Mac disputes this claim


    My sources who provided in-depth, accurate details about the iPhone 5s say they never heard the "Kardashian Phone" name in any form.
    7:16pm - 18 Oct 13
  • Reply 12 of 39
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Her iPhone 5 that was custom gold is gaudy- nothing like the 5s. Shocker.
    That shows what crap the development team has become after Steve Jobs left :wow:

    Yucks that Kartrashian SUCKS!  

    Apple product developers- Look at her sex tape, her body is so ugly. Could not find some beauty? :p  

    Better not name Bigger Screen iPhone 6 Donald Trump :lol:

    Yes- she's trashy. Can't stand the woman. But she had a bad body 5 years ago- or whenever her "claim to fame" tape came out? I think not. She was smokin' back then.
    Now being pregnant- not so much. She's got volcano body... Once it starts erupting- there's no stopping it.
  • Reply 13 of 39
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    That kind of says it all. Even Apple realized this was just pandering to the masses, and not typical to their usual standards. I seriously doubt if Jony Ive was ever OK with this.


    Yeah Conan definitely called it, I love the way the rest of the team try to distance themselves from the "Gold" team. LOL

    Sorry, but this is just not what I have come to expect of Apple. At least if they were going to do it, they did it right, in true Apple form, compared to the recent Samsung plastic gold release.
  • Reply 14 of 39
    malaxmalax Posts: 1,598member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Mac_128 View Post



    That kind of says it all. Even Apple realized this was just pandering to the masses, and not typical to their usual standards. I seriously doubt if Jony Ive was ever OK with this.

     

    Based on that statement, I "seriously doubt" you know what authority the Senior VP for Design has over product decisions.

  • Reply 15 of 39
    malaxmalax Posts: 1,598member

    I wonder if the Ks will try to sue Apple like Carl Sagan did.  (For those too young to remember: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc._litigation#Libel_dispute_with_Carl_Sagan)

  • Reply 16 of 39
    Dan_DilgerDan_Dilger Posts: 1,583member
    The gold phone in the tweet is not a gold iPhone 5s. It%u2019s a 5 that she had colored by a third party last year.
  • Reply 17 of 39
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    mac_128 wrote: »
    That kind of says it all. Even Apple realized this was just pandering to the masses, and not typical to their usual standards. I seriously doubt if Jony Ive was ever OK with this.


    Yeah Conan definitely called it, I love the way the rest of the team try to distance themselves from the "Gold" team. LOL

    Sorry, but this is just not what I have come to expect of Apple. At least if they were going to do it, they did it right, in true Apple form, compared to the recent Samsung plastic gold release.
    Why do people believe everything they read? I just posted a tweet from someone who questions the accuracy of this.

    Explain to me exactly how the champagne gold is pandering, and who exactly its pandering to?
  • Reply 18 of 39

    now I want a different color! 

  • Reply 19 of 39
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    So, when can we expect a video of the gold iPhone copping some sweet lovin' with a 'space grey' one?
  • Reply 20 of 39
    I prefer the Kardashian one. Not a fan of the while bezel, but black/gold looks pretty good.
Sign In or Register to comment.