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69650

Suspended
Mar 23, 2006
3,367
1,876
England
WHY?!?! Just buy an iPhone 4 and no one has to deal with bad quality materials! SOOOO DUMB

Just about everyone I know with an iPhone 4 has a cracked or badly scratched screen. If that isn't bad materials I don't know what is. I'd actually rather have a plastic iPhone than glass one. At least it might last more than 5 minutes.

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This is becoming a really lame response to something people don't find interesting. Please come up with something original, or better yet, keep it to yourself.

Totally agree. I hate people who just type "yawn". I wish they would FO somewhere else or just not bother commenting if they've nothing to say.
 

xcodeaddict

macrumors 6502a
Mar 2, 2013
602
0
Just about everyone I know with an iPhone 4 has a cracked or badly scratched screen. If that isn't bad materials I don't know what is. I'd actually rather have a plastic iPhone than glass one. At least it might last more than 5 minutes.

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Totally agree. I hate people who just type "yawn". I wish they would FO somewhere else or just not bother commenting if they've nothing to say.

But that would mean not having "an opinion" :(

iLol!
 

TyPod

macrumors 68000
Nov 2, 2006
1,745
18
Minneapolis, MN
The blue would probably be my second choice behind the white. Still surprised there haven't been any blacks, which I think would also look great with a plastic back.
 

sclawis300

macrumors 65816
Apr 22, 2010
1,472
196
I don't think you understand the issue as you must not have worked in higher workings of the brick and mortar retail before.

When you have multiple colors you then have to plan which colors and how many to keep at the different levels of your supply chain. When it is a new product you don't know which "colors" are going to sell at what rate. You also have different demographics in different areas.

So if you don't get your inventory forecast just right then you have dissatisfied customers asking how come you don't stock the "yellow" ones. Well we did but they sold out, we have lots of orange ones though. They have that problem now with just two colors!

You are not talking about inexpensive items, these are $600+.

It is just another thing that pushes users to online.

To this day I still have friends who worked higher up in some large retail outlets that absolutely HATE Apple for the whole multi-colored iMac inventory fiasco.

I hear what you are saying but don't think it is as big a deal as you are making it out to be. You act like someone is not going to get the phone on launch day because the green one is sold out. You are crazy if you think that person won't just settle for another color. Also, who cares if people buy online? If they don't want to have to go to a brick and mortar then more power to them.
 

fertilized-egg

macrumors 68020
Dec 18, 2009
2,109
57
Just about everyone I know with an iPhone 4 has a cracked or badly scratched screen. If that isn't bad materials I don't know what is. I'd actually rather have a plastic iPhone than glass one. At least it might last more than 5 minutes.

The glass back on the iPhone 4 and 4S is certainly fragile but I think it keeps the new look better than any other phones. I have had a number of metal phones and plastic phones from makers and none of them looked as "fresh" as my wife's iPhone 4S did after a year.
 

Reason077

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2007
3,588
3,532
I can't believe no one mentioned the iOS 7 color scheme and compared these phone shells to the Nokia Lumias:

Apple is probably not even aware of this little Chinese (?) phone maker. And even if they are, any resemblance to their colourful designs is purely coincidental.

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Had plastic sides didn't it? Anyway the first iphones felt cheap compared to what they are now.

The original iPhone was aluminium-backed with a stainless steel "band" around the display. There was a rubbery plastic piece at one end which covered the antennas.

The original iPhone was thick & heavy compared to today's models, but definitely did not feel cheap - it was a very high quality build. If anything, the switch to plastic for the 3G/3GS was to partly to cut down on manufacturing costs.

iphone1stgen-300x284.jpg
 

Smartass

macrumors 65816
Dec 18, 2012
1,449
1,685
Apple is probably not even aware of this little Chinese (?) phone maker. And even if they are, any resemblance to their colourful designs is purely coincidental.

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The original iPhone was aluminium-backed with a stainless steel "band" around the display. There was a rubbery plastic piece at one end which covered the antennas.

The original iPhone was thick & heavy compared to today's models, but definitely did not feel cheap - it was a very high quality build. If anything, the switch to plastic for the 3G/3GS was to partly to cut down on manufacturing costs.

Image
this phone was a tank. I dropped it couple of times on concrete floor and nothing happened to it. Ok, it did bent the case a bit at volume mute button but that was it. The rest of it was perfect.
Today, you pick iphone 5 up, sneeze into it, and it bends.
 

Reason077

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2007
3,588
3,532
Today, you pick iphone 5 up, sneeze into it, and it bends.

I think the 5 is much more durable than some people give it credit for. I've had mine since day 1 of release and, except for bit of paint scratching off at the edges, it's still in perfect condition.

I've never used a case and it's taken some knocks and drops that would have cracked or smashed an iPhone 4 display for sure!
 

downpour

macrumors 6502a
Oct 20, 2009
523
316
Apple is copying yet again.

I think everyone is copying each other. The shape of the Nokia Lumia was a blatant ripoff of the iPod line. But Apple now seem to be copying them back with these horrible colours.

One more thing about these images, there is a clear protective plastic cover over the iPhones in the picture. Maybe they won't look quite as bad (more matte) once that has been removed.

Also is there any chance these are just third party customisable backplates? Perhaps Apple have made them removable and the one you get with the phone isn't as horrible as these... I live in hope. :)
 
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XboxMySocks

macrumors 68020
Oct 25, 2009
2,230
198
Just about everyone I know with an iPhone 4 has a cracked or badly scratched screen. If that isn't bad materials I don't know what is. I'd actually rather have a plastic iPhone than glass one. At least it might last more than 5 minutes.

Sounds like the people you know just can't take ****ing care of an expensive device :rolleyes:
 

jhoffy

macrumors newbie
Apr 1, 2009
25
0
I don't post a lot, but am on the Apple message boards several times a day.

Let me preface this by saying I've had an iphone since the first one and everyone thereafter. I have macs, etc. I think we have 20 iDevices in the house between me and my family. I have stock in the company--- I consider myself an apple guy.

What disturbs me most is that while Samsung is coming out with larger/brighter/perhaps better screens and google pushing the innovating android, Apple's contribution to the mobile space is going to be plastic phones that come in different colors-- wow! This should be an afterthought, not a showcase. Insure hope they have something else up their sleeves, because a new look to the OS and an iPhone5 with a fingerprint sensor is just not going to cut it.
 

jake429

macrumors newbie
Feb 8, 2011
5
0
Wisconsin
Is it just me, or do the pictures look Photoshopped? If you zoom in on the iPhone logo, you'll notice some pixelization (is that a word??), whereas the case around the wording is smooth and untouched.

Someone tell me I'm wrong!!! Please!!!
 

nikaru

macrumors 65816
Apr 23, 2009
1,118
1,393
You're thinking of the 3g. I have the original right here in front of me, polished steel bezel and three quarter aluminum back with the lower part black plastic for antenna transparency.

I'm not especially excited about this since plastic just doesn't have the crafted feel of metal, though the antennas might end up working better/no more antenna-gate.

The first iPhone was metal with small plastic band for the antenas and its iconic design.
 

rmwebs

macrumors 68040
Apr 6, 2007
3,140
0
ok those don't look that great. hopefully those aren't the real thing.

Except that they are almost identical to the iPod Touch rear box, and are fantastic for retail displays as you can see the entire product.

IMO they look way better than the current cardboard boxes.
 

muuhamed

macrumors member
Feb 13, 2013
41
0
i think most of these look ugly and cheap.

best idea of a plastic iPhone for consumers wouldve been this concept based on the original bondi blue imac, in varied colors;

Image

much more apple like.

and some people are confused to think that them looking cheap is acceptable because its a 'cheap' iphone.

we all know that its not going to be cheap. its not going to be a cheap iPhone, its just going to cost less. proof of this is Apple's iPad Mini. and this is actually good news. we dont want Apple to become sony. spreading itself too thin by selling products on a wide range of price and quality.

Apple should stay true - stick to selling premium products and experiences. the philosophy of a product in their ranges should be the category of the product and the use its designed for or market.

it should NEVER be designed for a 'cheaper price' or building a product around price.


examples that shine most in apples current products are macs and ipods. and recently, iPads.

iPad mini's philosophy is greater portability - an everything anywhere device beyond the small size experience of pocket based devices like phones or iPods.

Macs. we know the story of macs, pro and consumer. portability/power/ultra portable.

iPods: Storage / collection; classics. iOS: Touch's. Shuffle: Gym/Exercise/Work . etc..

apple Should bring the philosophy of different categories to iPhones, but it should not be about price. only product. some people might not be concerned with the latest and greatest technologies in an iPhone, they might simply just want the apple OS experience (iOS).

1 area of category is phone/screen size, like macs. some people want bigger and smaller phones.

I agree 100% with you brother, would really like to see Apple make a bondi blue iPhone and generally see Apple not focused on price.

Apple is moving in a different direction without Jobs now, sad to see how they're trying to be like Sony now :(

Allah be with you
 

HurtinMinorKey

macrumors 6502
Jan 18, 2012
437
169
5C for camera. Apple is not happy about their flagship phone camera being publicly donkey punched by the Lumina 1020.
 

iisdan

macrumors 6502
Feb 19, 2010
319
331
Just about everyone I know with an iPhone 4 has a cracked or badly scratched screen. If that isn't bad materials I don't know what is. I'd actually rather have a plastic iPhone than glass one. At least it might last more than 5 minutes.

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I've drooped my 4s several times, 2 times on cement and I only have light scratches...
 
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