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QCassidy352

macrumors G5
Mar 20, 2003
12,028
6,036
Bay Area
For $100 more, you get SOOOOOO much more in the 5s!

Same was true when they were selling the 4s as the premium product and the 4 for $100 less, and even more so with the 5 and the 4s. People continue to buy the cheaper one in large numbers, even when it's the older model, not a "new" model.
 

scottwaugh

macrumors 6502
Jul 22, 2002
359
12
Chicago
The issue is that Apple made it cheaper yet still charges the same $100 on contract price. Why not just leave the iphone 5 alone and tweak the colors for the 5s (which they did for 2 out of the 3 phones). If HTC can release a blue and red metal Htc One why not do the same? Why take steps backwards with plastic when there's no advantage to the customer?
It's very obvious that the iphone 5c is not working.

Really? Very obvious that the 5c is not working? And you can't even buy and use one yet?

And its not a top of the line phone - so you wouldn't expect alot of pre-orders for it anyways...just like the 4s didn't sellout when it dropped $100 to mid range in Apple's lineup last year (or Samsung's mid-range GS4 mini didn't sellout on release either).

The 5c is just a replacement for the 5 (the -$100 mid range phone in Apple's lineup) - and its target market is not people who make reservations for the flagship phone - its for the walk ins who want an iPhone & don't have to have the latest specs, folks that like color and people who have 2 year contracts and want to save 50%/$100 on a new iphone compared to top of the line - and these groups are much bigger than the ones who pre-order the new top of the line the week its released.

I'd guess if they offered the 5s in both the metallic and color forms the color version would outsell the metallic (it's new, different and screams notice me, which alot of phone buyers want - however counterintuitive the value proposition might be). Apple is going to loose some 5s sales to the 5c because of the looks - they'll also get a bunch of 4s sales upscaling to the 5c because of the color.

Don't you worry yourself cdmoore74, the 5c will do great in the marketplace - but don't expect it to sellout on pre-orders, that's not its market, its Apple's mid-range phone.
 

osofast240sx

macrumors 68030
Mar 25, 2011
2,539
16
The 5c might be one of the worse iphone models ever. The internals are not bad. It's the cost and the child like colors. How hard it it to make a all black or all white plastic phone?
And for $100 more you get a true Apple flagship that will be supported for at least one additional year vs the c model. Isn't that one year worth $100?
You can always put a slim black case On a white one.

----------

The issue is that Apple made it cheaper yet still charges the same $100 on contract price. Why not just leave the iphone 5 alone and tweak the colors for the 5s (which they did for 2 out of the 3 phones). If HTC can release a blue and red metal Htc One why not do the same? Why take steps backwards with plastic when there's no advantage to the customer?
It's very obvious that the iphone 5c is not working.

The plastic was a genius idea you have so many people that put thick Waterproof cases over their iPhones This plastic iPhone is perfect for that
 

ckurt25

macrumors 65816
Mar 25, 2009
1,133
500
Michigan, USA
So why is Apple taking pre orders for the 5S in China / Hong Kong, but not in the US?

Also, I'd rather have a plastic phone, if it means it's more durable and easier to hold on to.
 

heutusops

macrumors regular
Aug 6, 2013
119
0
well, Cook would be really happy to see this, he was really concerned about the chinese market.:)
 

FrozenDarkness

macrumors 68000
Mar 21, 2009
1,723
964
Hilarious how mich stock people put into "selling out" a product but when a product sells out they just assume there was supply shortage.
 

macconservative

macrumors regular
Jun 17, 2008
165
71
Massachusetts
I'm still laughing as people whine that the 5c is not cheap. Apple isn't a cheap brand just like Porsche isn't. Porsche does not compete with Baseline Toyota. It's not Porsche's focus to make entry level cars and it's not Apple's focus to do that with their product lines either. That doesn't mean that a entry level Toyota isn't a good reliable product. Those sell well. Apple and Porsche just aren't interested in catering to the low end, yes there is missed sale opportunities because they do this but long as they are making a profit and have a loyal customer base that keeps spending money with high profit margins then it's not a problem. Analysts need to shut up and go get a real job. Selling one premium product with a high profit margin is way better than having to produce five or ten low profit margin items to make the same money.

I wonder exactly what is considered cheap. Subsidized price for the 5c is $99 and $199. Unlocked price of 5c is about the same cost as unlocked Samsung S4
 

iSayuSay

macrumors 68040
Feb 6, 2011
3,789
906
Apple themselves never once said they were coming out with a 'cheap phone'. That was all speculated by rumor sites, columnists and bloggers. You know better, they don't market 'cheap' products. Perhaps it was also wishful thinking on our part.

Still I believe there is a healthy market for the 5C; let's face it, it's not even released yet, pre-orders only. Way too early to write it off as a failure.

"We dont make cheap phones" Tim Cook.
5C is not a CHEAP phone. It is better than most androids out there. It is a improved iÜhone5 in a new case.

Yeah .. iPhone 5C price is definitely NOT cheap. But Apple is cheaping out with the 5C. Less expensive material of choice, cheap packaging, cheap accesories, less battery than 5S, last year's SoC, last year's tech. Apple said the thicker chassis is to compensate bigger battery but even then the 5S battery has bigger capacity in a thinner design.
And you're okay with that for $549?

Being "less expensive but not cheap" is okay. But 5C is about "cutting corners because Apple wants more money"

Even a "cheap" iPod Touch is better than that. Aluminum body, sleeker design, equally cheap packaging but with a more budget conscious price range making it easily forgivable.

Ya I like the way Apple gets blamed for the 5c not being "inexpensive" when they never said it would be. Analysts said it. And they were wrong.

The 5c is a redesigned iPhone 5. Slightly improved internals and a new outer shell. And yes it's plastic, like 99% of the phones that are manufactured are. But from what we are hearing, its a well made, solid feeling phone that bests most others.

As always if you like it, buy it. If not, move along.

Yes, until it's proven otherwise. Remember 3G and 3GS?
Of course it's shiny and great when it's new, that's just too obvious now, isn't it?
They were nice plastic phones too until they aged horribly and shows stress induced cracks in some sensitive area, decolorozing, nasty scratches and all problems you never encountered or expected earlier.

Those are the reasons Apple decided to improve the design with glass/stainless steel combo with 4/4S and Aluminum with the 5/5S and now they're taking one step backward AGAIN by going back to polycarbonate.

And you know what? The design worked! my 4S is still looking great even after 20 months of ownership. No visible scratches even on the steel band nor the glass body. Even the Al body of the 5 is nowhere near as durable as 4/4S. That's what I call quality!
 

haruhiko

macrumors 604
Sep 29, 2009
6,529
5,874
Yeah .. iPhone 5C price is definitely NOT cheap. But Apple is cheaping out with the 5C. Less expensive material of choice, cheap packaging, cheap accesories, less battery than 5S, last year's SoC, last year's tech. Apple said the thicker chassis is to compensate bigger battery but even then the 5S battery has bigger capacity in a thinner design.
And you're okay with that for $549?

Being "less expensive but not cheap" is okay. But 5C is about "cutting corners because Apple wants more money"

Even a "cheap" iPod Touch is better than that. Aluminum body, sleeker design, equally cheap packaging but with a more budget conscious price range making it easily forgivable.



Yes, until it's proven otherwise. Remember 3G and 3GS?
Of course it's shiny and great when it's new, that's just too obvious now, isn't it?
They were nice plastic phones too until they aged horribly and shows stress induced cracks in some sensitive area, decolorozing, nasty scratches and all problems you never encountered or expected earlier.

Those are the reasons Apple decided to improve the design with glass/stainless steel combo with 4/4S and Aluminum with the 5/5S and now they're taking one step backward AGAIN by going back to polycarbonate.

And you know what? The design worked! my 4S is still looking great even after 20 months of ownership. No visible scratches even on the steel band nor the glass body. Even the Al body of the 5 is nowhere near as durable as 4/4S. That's what I call quality!
Even Apple said in the small prints that the colour of the iPhone 5c will change over time.
 

ekrueger24

macrumors regular
Oct 12, 2011
188
28
London, UK
So why is Apple taking pre orders for the 5S in China / Hong Kong, but not in the US?

Good question. I do know that in the past launches before instituting the system they have now, scalpers would come in troves, pay elderly to stand in line, and buy phones by the cart full, take them back to China where they can sell them for a huge profit. In fact, for the last few years, in the cell phone markets in Mong Kok or Wan Chai, the newest iPhone would easily retail for 2-3 times more than you could get it from a carrier or Apple simply due to high demand and low supply.

So, to combat huge queues and scalped phones, Apple put a reservation system in place (last year it was a lottery) and put a strict limit of 2 phones per ID. This year they raised the bar and required a HK phone number.

Apparently didn't stop the scalpers as the entire system was frozen out and when the smoke cleared everything was gone except 1 model.

Personally, I will be waiting until the Online store sells them. Hopefully the system doesn't collapse and I can get the phone with relative ease
 

haruhiko

macrumors 604
Sep 29, 2009
6,529
5,874
Good question. I do know that in the past launches before instituting the system they have now, scalpers would come in troves, pay elderly to stand in line, and buy phones by the cart full, take them back to China where they can sell them for a huge profit. In fact, for the last few years, in the cell phone markets in Mong Kok or Wan Chai, the newest iPhone would easily retail for 2-3 times more than you could get it from a carrier or Apple simply due to high demand and low supply.

So, to combat huge queues and scalped phones, Apple put a reservation system in place (last year it was a lottery) and put a strict limit of 2 phones per ID. This year they raised the bar and required a HK phone number.

Apparently didn't stop the scalpers as the entire system was frozen out and when the smoke cleared everything was gone except 1 model.

Personally, I will be waiting until the Online store sells them. Hopefully the system doesn't collapse and I can get the phone with relative ease

When the smoke cleared I think we still had about 30 minutes or so to order... that's how I reserved mine. But it was after 7:30am.
 

ekrueger24

macrumors regular
Oct 12, 2011
188
28
London, UK
When the smoke cleared I think we still had about 30 minutes or so to order... that's how I reserved mine. But it was after 7:30am.

Lucky for you... I think I check in a little too late as I just gave up. I don't know what I was thinking though... I wasn't thrilled with the idea of battling the people down at IFC or trekking to Kowloon Tong or CWB (as they are further from my flat).

When I did notice the servers were responding again, only the 16GB model was left. I took a gamble on the online ordering to get 32GB and accepted having it delivered (hopefully) the following week. Let's see how this goes... 2 hours left
 
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