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luqtotheman

macrumors regular
Jun 14, 2012
198
3
I don't like it, does BMW use cheaper material to make cars more affordable to people? No they make top cars.

quality>>>quantity
 

tdtran1025

macrumors 6502
Dec 26, 2011
275
0
Regardless the choice of housing material, substantial cutback in hardware features, as in camera, GPS, and internal storage has to be made in order to bring down the price. However, what can Apple possibly cut to make it a cheeper phone? I say why not sell the 3GS for less than $200, since the production tools and supply chain are already in place?
 

lifeinhd

macrumors 65816
Mar 26, 2008
1,428
58
127.0.0.1
"internal metal parts being able to be seen from outside through special design".

This is interesting. They haven't had such a design since the original iMac.

snap1.jpg


Not that I would mind if they brought it back, but seeing the internal electronics as on the revised iMac G3 is nicer than seeing metal IMHO.
 

hamkor04

macrumors 6502
Apr 10, 2011
359
0
Every time an article is posted citing DigiTimes, MacRumors conveniently starts the post with "Digitimes..." that way I don't waste my time reading the article.

I don't believe there is a chance there will be a cheap iPhone alternative now, or anytime in the future.

Jobs pushed to produce even cheaper Macs but everybody was against him. Eventually, they will do other "options"
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,557
9,750
I'm a rolling stone.
I guess I just don't get that. If you can't afford a $200 smart phone, why can you afford to pay about $1400 over two years for service?

One word: Prepaid.

There's a world outside of the US, most places don't have those ridiculous prices as in the US.

Yeah, in the U.S they do. But this cheaper iPhone will be aimed at 3rd world markets, where everyone people buy their phones upfront, and are therefore sensitive to the initial handset cost.

Exactly
 

SkippyThorson

macrumors 68000
Jul 22, 2007
1,669
937
Utica, NY
My guess, if it will exist, is a 3GS with updated internals that can be compatible with iOS 7.

Exactly what I thought - a return of the 3G design? Not the same exact phone, but at least a phone with a one-piece, all-around plastic back. Just like the 3G / 3GS.

Now as long as we're going retro with design inspiration, I'd like an iMac G4 with current-tech internals. :)
 

hamkor04

macrumors 6502
Apr 10, 2011
359
0
Yeah, in the U.S they do. But this cheaper iPhone will be aimed at 3rd world markets, where everyone people buy their phones upfront, and are therefore sensitive to the initial handset cost.

lol, 3rd world. most 3rd world Cellular companies not ripping of the customers (yet). So they still buying their iPhones since 2007
 

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
My guess, if it will exist, is a 3GS with updated internals that can be compatible with iOS 7.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. At least not complete compatibility. If they are up to something it could be some kind of $100-150 no contract iPhone that is literally just a phone. Call and text, limited other apps like just contacts, calendar, notepad. Basically a 'jitterbug' made by Apple
 

macs4nw

macrumors 601
The main costs come in the form of a two year contract, not the cost of the phone itself imo.

Precisely! The 'thinking' behind these persistent rumors that just won't go away, is for APPLE to produce a good quality phone, that is inexpensive without those pesky two year contracts, and that has mass appeal in those emerging markets, where many phones are on pre-paid plans. A tall order indeed; we'll find out sooner or later whether APPLE has an appetite for that. I wouldn't venture to place any bets on this, for or against.
 

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,720
Boston, MA
To me at least it doesn't really feel Apple to provide a cheap alternative.
Apple knows its market and makes products for that.

Are we going to see cheaper versions of their MacBooks and iMacs?

What they should be doing is discounting the previous generation a bit more than they do.

We got a cheaper version of the iPad... The mini.

They have dropped entry level prices of the MacBooks and iMacs multiple times. Look at the air. It. An be had under $1000. What was its
Price point when it launched?

But I see what you mean. This seams to be a product ape officially catering to come in at a lower price point. Of say that the iPad mini did exactly that already.
 

mrsir2009

macrumors 604
Sep 17, 2009
7,505
156
Melbourne, Australia
In that case a cheaper one would be $500-$750. My question stands.

On prepaid you can get plans that cost a lot less than $58 a month. Outside of the U.S you can get plans that give you 500mb data, unlimited texts, unlimited calls to the same carrier and 60 mins of calls to other carriers for $19. That's more than enough for the average third worlder.
 
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