WSJ: Less Expensive iPhone Could Come as Soon as This Year

[dukebound85]

Originally Posted by myrtlebee

It's pretty hard to be less expensive than a $0 iPhone 4 (in the US, anyway).

That is way out of date and are forced into a 2 year agreement. Tey can make the phone cost cheaper than 650 plus for a base current model

[wonderspark]

Originally Posted by tomjleeds

I'm fully aware of the construction, I did have two of them.

Were they or were they not "all plastic"?

No phone is all plastic. You need some metals to conduct electricity, transmit and receive radio signals, etc. I can't name a single phone made on earth entirely of plastic.

[TMar]

Originally Posted by rjohnstone

Was a mix of plastic and metal.
The entire bottom portion of the phone was plastic.

Way to attempt to make it sound so big. The entire 1/6th of the back was plastic.

[rjohnstone]

Originally Posted by tomjleeds

I'm fully aware of the construction, I did have two of them.

Were they or were they not "plastic"?

If you had two of them, you would know the answer.

Originally Posted by TMar

Way to attempt to make it sound so big. The entire 1/6th of the back was plastic.

That would include the entire BOTTOM of the phone.
The back was more like 1/4 plastic, not 1/6. Just pulled my old one off the shelf and yep... 1/4... maybe 1/5, but the whole bottom is plastic, which is what I stated.

Good old wiki pic of the back and yes, even the bottom.

[tomjleeds]

Originally Posted by wonderspark

No phone is all plastic. You need some metals to conduct electricity, transmit and receive radio signals, etc. I can't name a single phone made on earth entirely of plastic.

This is the entire reason there is a plastic piece on the original iPhone in the first place, just as there is a plastic piece on a "cellular" iPad

EDIT: See my edited post, I was quoting incorrectly. Point stands however.

Originally Posted by rjohnstone

If you had two of them, you would know the answer.

OK, here's the answer: No they were not plastic, the "casing" was predominantly metal and the plastic section was relatively small and there for a functional reason only.

The poster I quoted said "all iPhones were plastic through the 3GS". This is clearly not the case. Now what is your point?

[TMar]

Originally Posted by dukebound85

That is way out of date and are forced into a 2 year agreement. Tey can make the phone cost cheaper than 650 plus for a base current model

I hate getting locked into a 2 year agreement when so many companies are offering free service now...

[dukebound85]

Originally Posted by TMar

I hate getting locked into a 2 year agreement when so many companies are offering free service now...

You should hate it

I pay substantially less than those on a 2 year contract. So yea, I only care about the full cost I the phone

[wonderspark]

Originally Posted by tomjleeds

This is the entire reason there is a plastic piece on the original iPhone in the first place, just as there is a plastic piece on a "cellular" iPad

Maybe I just don't know what plastic is. When I look at the back of an older iPhone, the entire back side looks and feels like plastic, and then there's a bit of chrome trim around the frame of the glass screen. If that's not plastic on the back side, then I don't know what it is.

[Spungoflex]

Originally Posted by Renzatic

A 3GS for $300? An 8GB iPhone 4 for $400? Seriously?

There's a fine line between charging a premium for a solid product and gouging a bunch of suckers with more money than sense.

They are currently selling the 8GB iphone 4 for $450. They sold the 3GS for $375.

[Eric E. Schmidt]

Originally Posted by nepalisherpa

You know what you could do to keep your so-called "elite" status? Hire your own programmers, hardware designers, etc. and have a custom phone built for you!

alternatively, fly 1st class to india to pick one up, on contract. a unique phone with an exotic phone number. best of all; a lavish voice and data plan few can match.

[irDigital0l]

Originally Posted by Raftysworld

I guess it'll help broaden the customer base, but its kind of frustrating to know poor people will be able to get the same phone as me

What did I just read....

[TrentS]

It's great that Apple makes the iPhone with sturdy parts that will last forever, but what really is the point, if after 5 to 10 years they are basically rendered worthless? The initial user will probably use the phone for 4 years at most. Then they will upgrade to the newsest and greatest, while the old handset will be handed down to a 2nd user, with a discounted price. That person will probably use it for 2 to 3 more years, then after that, will be thrown atop the ever growing mountanous pile of cell phone relics.

So I see no reason not to build cell phones with cases that will outlast someone living in the 23rd century.

I just wish someone would build a solid core to a cell phone, but with upgradeable module parts that can be swapped out every 2 or 3 years, with updated processor chips, updated input connectors, longer lasting batteries, new anntenaes, larger memory, better camera, etc..... That way the cell phone bodys could be used for years and years, and save room in the landfills....

[tomjleeds]

Originally Posted by wonderspark

Maybe I just don't know what plastic is. When I look at the back of an older iPhone, the entire back side looks and feels like plastic, and then there's a bit of chrome trim around the frame of the glass screen. If that's not plastic on the back side, then I don't know what it is.

[G4DP]

Originally Posted by rendevouspoo

Just ask the other MacRumors posters. When the Apple vs Android debate comes up, the No. 1 argument is 'Android is cheaper because it has cheap plastic,' which is, in every sense of the word, idiotic.

But but, it'll special magical Apple plastic which is the best in the world and much better than the plastic Android makers use. It'll have that special symbol on the back which means it's the worlds best plastic!

[Peace]

Originally Posted by wonderspark

Maybe I just don't know what plastic is. When I look at the back of an older iPhone, the entire back side looks and feels like plastic, and then there's a bit of chrome trim around the frame of the glass screen. If that's not plastic on the back side, then I don't know what it is.

The back of the 3GS was plastic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_3GS#Design

[Renzatic]

Originally Posted by Spungoflex

They are currently selling the 8GB iphone 4 for $450. They sold the 3GS for $375.

Just looked, and yeah...you're right. An 8GB iPhone 4 costs more than a 16GB iPad Mini.

I dunno why, but I find that incredibly sad.

[From Win to Mac]

This mythical "low end iPhone" is the iPhone from 2 generations ago.

- So today, it's the 4.
- In two years, it'll be 5

[irDigital0l]

Originally Posted by From Win to Mac

This mythical "low end iPhone" is the iPhone from 2 generations ago.

- So today, it's the 4.
- In two years, it'll be 5

Did you even read the article?

[wonderspark]

Originally Posted by Peace

The back of the 3GS was plastic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_3GS#Design

Thanks, that is what I thought. I never saw the one that was part aluminum and part plastic. Not sure how I missed that.

[samcraig]

What they sell for and what they cost to make are two entirely different matters.

If Apple really wanted penetrate the market - they could simply produce an 8gb iPhone 4(ish) spec and sell it with a smaller margin (GASP!!!) overseas

Almost more important than selling the phone at a high margin would be hooking people into Apple's ecosystem. If someone hooks them first - then that's that.

[rjohnstone]

Originally Posted by tomjleeds

OK, here's the answer: No they were not plastic, the "casing" was predominantly metal and the plastic section was relatively small and there for a functional reason only.

The poster I quoted said "all iPhones were plastic through the 3GS". This is clearly not the case. Now what is your point?

So you ignore the first part of my post to ridicule the second.
I clearly stated it was a "mix of metal and plastic".

*adds obtuse poster to ignore list.

[wonderspark]

Originally Posted by tomjleeds

Image

Wow, interesting. It scuffed back then, but nobody cared at the time!

[myrtlebee]

Originally Posted by Peace

The back of the 3GS was plastic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone_3GS#Design

I liked the look and feel of the white 3GS. In fact, it's my favorite design so far. Not a fan of angular phones. I was also a huge fan of my white polycarbonate MacBook (minus the cracking and weight).

[CosmoCopus]

Originally Posted by ahmet

so you were thinking that you were elite, and insult other people with prejudgement and state them as "unwashed' by just using a device, previously. so sad to see what happened to humanity.

I wonder if he buys all his "elite" Apple gear at Walmart ....hahahahaha!

[needfx]

seems like many users fall for the troll bait other users place.