'iPhone 5C' expected to replace iPhone 5, while Apple's iPhone 4S will live on

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
This fall, Apple's newly revamped iPhone lineup is expected to include the high-end "iPhone 5S," a plastic "iPhone 5C," and a low-end option with the legacy iPhone 4S, according to a well-connected insider.

Lite
Rendering of "iPhone 5C" based on reportedly leaked schematics.


Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities said in a research note on Monday that he believes Apple's anticipated "iPhone 5C" will actually be positioned as the company's mid-range device, not a low-end option as was previously rumored. Instead, the company's entry-level iPhone will be the iPhone 4S, he said.

Kuo expects the so-called "iPhone 5C" to cost between $400 and $500 without a contract subsidy. Meanwhile, the iPhone 4S ? first released in 2011 ? will run between $300 and $400, according to Kuo.

The updated lineup will also mean the end of the iPhone 4, which was first released in 2010.

Kuo's claims run contrary to some recent rumors, which suggested that the "iPhone 5C" could replace both the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4. The logic behind that line of thinking was that Apple wanted its entire iPhone lineup to feature larger 4-inch displays and the new Lightning connector, completely removing the legacy 30-pin connector from the company's product lineup.

The "iPhone 5C" is expected to include largely the same components as Apple's current top-of-the-line iPhone 5, including an A6 processor and a 4-inch Retina display. Apple is expected to cut costs and boost margins by featuring a plastic back for the device, which is likely to come in a range of colors based on various leaks.

The "iPhone 5S," meanwhile, is expected to become Apple's new premium smartphone, featuring the same metal construction as the iPhone 5, but sporting a fingerprint sensor beneath the home button as well as a dual LED flash component for better low-light photos.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 110
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    If they are going to continue the 4S, surely it must at least have the connector upgraded?
  • Reply 2 of 110
    tundraboytundraboy Posts: 1,884member
    A plastic-bodied phone will be more expensive than a metal-bodied one? This makes no senseat all.
  • Reply 3 of 110
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Originally Posted by ascii View Post


    If they are going to continue the 4S, surely it must at least have the connector upgraded?


     


    Why? They haven't changed the iPod classic in five years. The 4S can serve for those who think the Dock Connector is super neat-o keen and/or don't want to buy new speakers.


     


    I don't like the idea of keeping the 4S around, but at least it can be justified.

  • Reply 4 of 110
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Wow Kuo really is throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks. Why in the world would Apple continue the 4S when they're trying to get everyone off 30 pin and on to lightning?
  • Reply 5 of 110
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member


    Evidence?


     


    No?


     


    Do not believe "I reckon" analysts.

  • Reply 6 of 110
    macapfelmacapfel Posts: 575member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ascii View Post



    If they are going to continue the 4S, surely it must at least have the connector upgraded?


     


    Very good point. It would be odd to keep it with the 30 pin connector.


    Having said that, they still carry the iPod classic with a 30 pin connector.

  • Reply 7 of 110
    cintoscintos Posts: 113member
    The China market will require the new Qualcomm G3 support expected in the 5C. The 4S won't work on the China Mobile's G3 technology.
  • Reply 8 of 110
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Originally Posted by Cintos View Post


    The China market will require the new Qualcomm G3 support expected in the 5C. The 4S won't work on the China Mobile's G3 technology.


     


    Who says they're getting the 4S, anyway? They don't have it now and everyone else does.

  • Reply 9 of 110
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Lets see if the wider media picks up on this story like they do IDC or Strategy Analytics press releases.

    http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57599085-37/apple-snagged-20-percent-of-its-iphone-buyers-from-android/
  • Reply 10 of 110
    ascii: I concur. Unless they keep the iPad 2, it makes no sense to have a 4s in the lineup.

    My thought is that they drop both the 5 and the 4s, and they move to a extended 2 tier lineup, or a 2.5 tier lineup, where the 'top device' has a now lower entry in price by $100 for lower storage (8gb?), as iCloud becomes more of a staging space for music through Match (dynamic cloud storage), and is extended to books, video and even apps. That way Apple makes up the lower subsidy with extended cloud sales ($50 over the life of the device).

    That way the 'c' device can be leveraged longer, and only released every other year (released on 's' upgrade dates with the old SoC.)

    Finally, this is the sort of 'analysis' that reeks of being 'seeded' by disinformation campaign. I can wait 3 weeks.
  • Reply 11 of 110
    nikiloknikilok Posts: 383member
    rogifan wrote: »
    Wow Kuo really is throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks. Why in the world would Apple continue the 4S when they're trying to get everyone off 30 pin and on to lightning?

    And more importantly they wouldn't keep 4S coz developers then need to cater apps for the 3.5" screen aswell as the 4" one.
    Makes no sense.

    There offering should be

    5S - High End
    5 - Mid range
    5C - Low end

    Or prolly shuffle between 5 and 5C for mid / low.
  • Reply 12 of 110
    dugbugdugbug Posts: 283member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by nikilok View Post





    And more importantly they wouldn't keep 4S coz developers then need to cater apps for the 3.5" screen aswell as the 4" one.

    Makes no sense.



    There offering should be



    5S - High End

    5 - Mid range

    5C - Low end



    Or prolly shuffle between 5 and 5C for mid / low.




    What advantage does the 5 have over (what we know about) the 5C besides the aluminum back and being 1mm thinner?  I'm not sure its much of a mid range really.  I guess it could happen if they used artificial software limitations (such as removing Siri from the 5C) but I hope they don't do that.


     


    If they have 4S stock then the analyst makes sense, though I think the ideal situation is for 5C, 5S only, then going forward 5C, 5S, 6.

  • Reply 13 of 110
    So let me get this straight. They will not keep the iPhone 5 but will keep the iPhone 4S instead? Why? Older tech, 30 pin, worse screen, etc. they just released the iPhone 5 they are not going to discontinue that and keep something they released before it. Maybe I am mistaken but it just seems a little backwards.
  • Reply 14 of 110
    I hope there's a new iPod Nano with a camera introed at this event.
    Just sayin'.
  • Reply 15 of 110
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    If the 5C has the same specs as the current 5 then I can see just having 5S and 5C. With the 5S having some tech the 5C doesn't have to justify a higher price tag.
  • Reply 16 of 110
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    Why? They haven't changed the iPod classic in five years. The 4S can serve for those who think the Dock Connector is super neat-o keen and/or don't want to buy new speakers.

    I don't like the idea of keeping the 4S around, but at least it can be justified.
    Well first, they had no trouble updating the iPad 3 with lightning mid-product run.

    Second, I doubt the iPod Classic will make the cut in its current form.

    Third, if they continue to make the 4S that's four iPhones that will be in production, assuming the iPhone 5 remains as a lower price option. Even if the 5c replaces the 5, that's still three different form factors instead of the usual two.

    Fourth, the screen size is at least an important standard to Apple as the lightening connector. It's hard to imagine they would maintain the legacy smaller screen size with the 5c hitting the market, assuming it has the 4-inch screen. I truly wish Apple would offer a smaller screen size in an iPhone, but I'm not going to continue wasting fuel on burning that particular flame ...

    But back to the iPod Classic for a moment ... It's hard for me to see them dropping this staple until the flash ram prices drop enough to make such a high capacity storage device practical. And it shouldn't take much since the Classic is mostly just a hard drive with a basic interface that shouldn't change much. At which time it gets a redesign. How far in the future that change would come will determine whether they update the Classic's dock connector. After that, it's just a matter of time until the iPhone and iPod Touch RAM prices make the Classic obsolete.
  • Reply 17 of 110
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    zachlach wrote: »
    So let me get this straight. They will not keep the iPhone 5 but will keep the iPhone 4S instead? Why? Older tech, 30 pin, worse screen, etc. they just released the iPhone 5 they are not going to discontinue that and keep something they released before it. Maybe I am mistaken but it just seems a little backwards.

    If the report is accurate in the first place the source explains it as the 5C and current 5 generally being the same internals anyway making the iPhone 5 redundant. At least I think that's what's claimed/
  • Reply 18 of 110
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member


    Bad news if true.  The only reason for doing it would be because they can't hit the price point with iPhone 5c.  

  • Reply 19 of 110
    allenbfallenbf Posts: 993member
    Doubtful of this. Even the iPod touch 5 has a larger screen and lightning connector.

    Maybe the 4s will be retooled like the iPad 4 was, including the plastic casing, as a low end option?
  • Reply 20 of 110
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Ming-Chi Kuo's past good track record is on the line lately! (This and the home button protruding outward.)

    Maybe the 4S will stick around just for certain international markets? Hard to imagine much need for it in the subsidy-happy US.
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