If they wanted to make a phone like this (with A8 processor) they should have released it last year and it shouldn't be $500. A 16GB iPod touch with A8 processor, 8MP camera and Bluetooth 4.1 is $199. You're telling me a16GB A8 iPhone is worth $300 more? If this is what we get from Apple this spring then I should probably sell my stock now. Hence why I asked if this report came from the Onion.
An iPhone has many things an iPod touch does not:
cell radio better screen TouchID ApplePay Additional expense for royalties
Is that worth $300 probably not. But iPhones have a much higher gross margin than iPods. Plus Apple does not want to sell these at $300-$400 and canibalzie their high end phones. With the iPods they don't have to worry about canibalization.
Overpriced to keep gross margins high. That is Tim Cook and Phil Schiller's Apple these days. Sigh.
A couple of thoughts here. This could be a direct reflection of what growth markets need. Mexico, China and India...There could also be some logic around the smaller screen does not require as much horsepower to drive the display...I also think there is huge margin opportunities for legacy chips. Another thing to consider is a yield and volume situation. Apple may not be able to produce enough of the newest chip for all of the phone models it sells. By keeping the newest chips for the primary phones it can keep up with production by using legacy chips due to ability to produce.
Interesting thought. Didn't they keep the 4 or 4S around a 4th year in some international markets after dropping it in the US? If there's any truth to this rumor, then the 5S will just be a speed bump with NFC added, and likely offered as an entry level phone in the US as well, alongside the iP6. And there would still be a "6c" straddling the mid-to-high end tier.
I think it will properly be an lower grade A9 rather then A8. i.e All those who those fit the yield of iPhone 6S spec get into this iPhone 5e. Likely be 20 - 30% slower Ghz for both CPU and GPU.
As someone who has always gotten top of the line iPhones but isn't interested a larger device, if this rumor is true, it's a depressing harbinger of how Apple views smaller form factors.
Samesung does this. Sells a Mini version of their phone but puts lower specs in it and then complains it doesn't sell and no one wants the smaller phone. When really what's going on is people want the smaller phone size, but the SAME higher end hardware as the larger screen phones. Why doesn't this phone get a A9 processor? In a few months later it'll be a A10, yet this thing is going with the A8 like the Apple TV. It's really pretty lame if this rumor is true. At this point it is still a rumor.
Just back-off. We are like kids. Once we get 2 candies, than can't accept 1 even that was what we were having for long time. This is good compromise because it covers main functionalities needed in smaller iphones from it's larger siblings, ApplePay and VOLTE/VoWiFi. If iphone 5e does well in market place(upgrade from 4S/5/5s) than in next iteration of iphone 5ee or 5e+, Apple will upgrade more tech inside as chips become smaller to fabricate/integrate and fit into 4" body with reasonable battery size/life. Those who just talk jibber-jabber needs to know that talk is cheap but fitting all into smaller body is not a joke. If one tries to do it than reliability gets effected. I know people still using 4 years old iphone 4 and it works so well. On contrary, significant android phones break down,unusable within 2-years.
Here's my opinion why the 4-inch is slightly stripped. The overall size physically limits what you can include in the device. Just looking at how they added 3D touch to the 6s by shrinking the battery is a clear indicator. I see the 5e as a "business" phone. Put in the stuff you must have, leave out the gimmicks. I don't think the 5e was designed with cost at the forefront, but usability as the focus. Lower cost was just a side effect.
I'm a 5s user and have been following these rumors, in expectation of upgrading to this next 4-inch. What I want in a phone is something I can handle easily, works all the time, has durability, can manage my life on a daily basis, and has a battery that lasts forever. I don't need a gaming device, or a DSLR replacement, or a heart rate monitor, or 3D touchery, or a portable TV. I got all those in other iterations.
I also think heat dissipation of an A9 on 4-inch form is an issue. It doesn't have the same real estate as an iPhone 6 or an iPad. Squeeze a bigger battery in there and you might get Samsung style "hot phone".
Overpriced to keep gross margins high. That is Tim Cook and Phil Schiller's Apple these days. Sigh.
These high end devices are powerful and expensive to build. The Galaxy phones and other high end Android phones are just as expensive as Apple's. You may have noticed Apple doesn't make a true low end device. The 5's are a couple of years old now, but remember they were once the flagship phones and the materials and manufacturing expenses haven't decreased.
Some of you are "sad" about a product that doesn't fit your use case. Don't be. The market is bigger than your needs/socioeconomic rung.
No I just think Apple needs to shit or get off the pot here. If they think they need to do a lower end phone for emerging markets like India then do it. But don't give us a phone with a nearly 2 year old processor, 16GB storage and charge $500 for it.
When Jobs came back to Apple, he streamlined what they sold and that worked. Seems like they are going right the other way now trying to cover every base with a slightly different variant.
A couple of thoughts here. This could be a direct reflection of what growth markets need. Mexico, China and India...There could also be some logic around the smaller screen does not require as much horsepower to drive the display...I also think there is huge margin opportunities for legacy chips. Another thing to consider is a yield and volume situation. Apple may not be able to produce enough of the newest chip for all of the phone models it sells. By keeping the newest chips for the primary phones it can keep up with production by using legacy chips due to ability to produce.
If the rumoured price is correct, you would be so wrong there.
Xiaomi Mi5: "The new phone starts at just 699 yuan (roughly $107). It packs a 5-inch
720p display, a long-lasting 4100mAh battery, a Snapdragon 616
processor, a 13-megapixel camera, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable
storage. It also runs Xiaomi’s latest MiUI 7 Android-based software."
I have never understood the caterwauling about the iPhone 6 series being too large. I have small hands and handled 6 plus and now the 6s plus just fine with one handed use. These people must have zero dexterity or kinesthetic ability.
It's personal preference. I use my notebook in my house and while travelling for videos. I'm pretty good at most sports and have I would describe good kinesthetic ability. And most of all I want a phone that feels much small and is much small in my jean pockets.
When Jobs came back to Apple, he streamlined what they sold and that worked. Seems like they are going right the other way now trying to cover every base with a slightly different variant.
I'm not convinced it's the best way to go.
Let's see... iPod shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Touch, iPod Classic, all being sold at the same time, under the Steve Jobs reign. This is what Apple does; they create a flagship in a product category, then fan out to cover all the premium price points with additional models.
Some of you are "sad" about a product that doesn't fit your use case. Don't be. The market is bigger than your needs/socioeconomic rung.
No I just think Apple needs to shit or get off the pot here. If they think they need to do a lower end phone for emerging markets like India then do it. But don't give us a phone with a nearly 2 year old processor, 16GB storage and charge $500 for it.
Apple is selling iPhone 5s for $450 right now that has a 2.5 year old processor. They have been doing this for YEARS.
You are acting like $500 is a lot. It isn't. Apple has been selling 2 year old phones for $450 for many years now.
This is why I don't mind the elimination of the Sog self-ban. This is a great and obvious insight that needs to be brought into this conversation. Apple knows what will sell better than anyone. If they put an A8 in a 4" iPhone and mark it at $500, they'll sell plenty.
My older brother (6'3" master stone mason) carries a 5 in a bulletproof case. It fits in his front jeans pocket along with a $10k roll of Benjamin's he walks around with (to pay workers and buy supplies on the spot). He'll update to this exact phone when it ships, not caring a bit about which model number is stamped on the processor. It's Apple, it'll fit in his existing case, he trusts the company. He'll buy it.
I have Filipina friends in an expat group I manage. Some in the Philippines, some working overseas (mostly in the Middle East) as housekeepers. They all have an iPhone on their wish list and this is a model that they would pounce on, as it's fairly future proof compared to any Android phone and at a price they can reach (barely). They will love the camera, which will take superior pics to post on Facebook versus the four generation old Galaxy 3's or off brand Androids they are carrying now. About 1 of 4 still on old Nokia feature phones. There are vast iPhone markets for a mid-range price to tap as the world's middle class is joined by 100 million+ additional people each year. They will buy a modern mid-priced iPhone as fast as Apple can manufacture one for them.
Comments
Most importantly 5e gets Apple Pay.
I'm a 5s user and have been following these rumors, in expectation of upgrading to this next 4-inch. What I want in a phone is something I can handle easily, works all the time, has durability, can manage my life on a daily basis, and has a battery that lasts forever. I don't need a gaming device, or a DSLR replacement, or a heart rate monitor, or 3D touchery, or a portable TV. I got all those in other iterations.
I also think heat dissipation of an A9 on 4-inch form is an issue. It doesn't have the same real estate as an iPhone 6 or an iPad. Squeeze a bigger battery in there and you might get Samsung style "hot phone".
Seems like they are going right the other way now trying to cover every base with a slightly different variant.
I'm not convinced it's the best way to go.
Xiaomi Mi5: "The new phone starts at just 699 yuan (roughly $107). It packs a 5-inch 720p display, a long-lasting 4100mAh battery, a Snapdragon 616 processor, a 13-megapixel camera, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage. It also runs Xiaomi’s latest MiUI 7 Android-based software."
...and it is metal, not plastic.
It's personal preference. I use my notebook in my house and while travelling for videos. I'm pretty good at most sports and have I would describe good kinesthetic ability. And most of all I want a phone that feels much small and is much small in my jean pockets.
Personal preference.
Edited by Mr. H. Reason: fixed quote formatting
My older brother (6'3" master stone mason) carries a 5 in a bulletproof case. It fits in his front jeans pocket along with a $10k roll of Benjamin's he walks around with (to pay workers and buy supplies on the spot). He'll update to this exact phone when it ships, not caring a bit about which model number is stamped on the processor. It's Apple, it'll fit in his existing case, he trusts the company. He'll buy it.
I have Filipina friends in an expat group I manage. Some in the Philippines, some working overseas (mostly in the Middle East) as housekeepers. They all have an iPhone on their wish list and this is a model that they would pounce on, as it's fairly future proof compared to any Android phone and at a price they can reach (barely). They will love the camera, which will take superior pics to post on Facebook versus the four generation old Galaxy 3's or off brand Androids they are carrying now. About 1 of 4 still on old Nokia feature phones. There are vast iPhone markets for a mid-range price to tap as the world's middle class is joined by 100 million+ additional people each year. They will buy a modern mid-priced iPhone as fast as Apple can manufacture one for them.