Am I the only one who thinks the 5C is a downgrade?

The 5c is not low quality. If you see it in real life and hold it, it feels more like ceramic. I see the phone as an upgrade from the 5--love the form factor and certainly does not have a cheap feeling at all. Many others, including news/tech reviews, share my opinion. To each their own!

Radiating said:

an iPhone 5C with a cheaper heavier and lower end shell

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Untrue. Go look at them in person. 5c build quality is the best plastic phone out there, period. Way better than any Android device out there right now, and I'm no fanboi. It is an excellent phone.

Radiating said:

Am I the only one who feels cheated that Apple essentially released an iPhone 5C with a cheaper heavier and lower end shell than simply releasing last year's iPhone as the lower end version? This would be like Apple releasing the iPhone 4S made of plastic last year because they didn't think consumers deserved a "real" iPhone below the top price bracket.

Apple didn't deliver a cheap iPhone like they were expected to. They delivered a lower quality product than they were expected to. Then tried to make it seem like a good thing because it's colorful.

How is this not a downgrade?

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It is a downgrade. Same components, but plastic back. It was designed to cover the lower cost market, but missed high by about $500 compared to what those in that market are spending now. LOL

To see the reality of it's quality, watch the drop test posted on Youtube. One drop and it's screen is a goner.

Did you buy one?

shenan1982 said:

It is a downgrade. Same components, but plastic back. It was designed to cover the lower cost market, but missed high by about $500 compared to what those in that market are spending now. LOL

To see the reality of it's quality, watch the drop test posted on Youtube. One drop and it's screen is a goner.

Click to expand...

Front camera on the 5C is slightly better than on the 5. Battery is also higher capacity.

People may hate on the 5C, but it is very comfortable to hold.

I held one in the Apple store tonite. Was very surprised by how it felt, in a good ways did not at all feel cheap

I checked out the drop test that Android Authority posted.

The 5C landed on its back without much effect, and dropping on the bottom edge didn't do much either. Minor scuffs, same as the 5S, occurred.

The screen on 5C did shatter when dropped on its face, but I can't tell whether that's bad luck in how it hit, or whether the heavier weight of the device relative to 5/5S was the cause. Perhaps it was both.

The 5C also gives you 16 GB at $99.

iPhone 5 with 8 GB at $99 would have been a downgrade.

The aluminum shell on the iPhone 5 is the reason for the 5C.
Apple could just not afford to continue offering and supporting the expensive aluminum shell at the $99 price point.
The suppliers can't keep up with demand as-is and to have to split their resources between making both the 5 and the 5S would only further constrain the flow.
By discontinuing the 5, Apple can have their suppliers focus on the shells for the 5S only and use their existing stock to continue the support of existing iPhone 5 owners.
Yon can bet that the same thing will happen next year.
They'll introduce the iPhone 6, the 5S will be retired, and the 5C will be upgraded to the specs of the current 5S.
Now you can call the 5C a downgrade but that's just personal preference.
Yes, it's cheaper to produce, but it's also more robust, more scratch and ding resistant, and has a better camera.
I wouldn't call it an upgrade but at a $100 price drop, who would expect it to be?

powerbook911 said:

The 5C also gives you 16 GB at $99.

iPhone 5 with 8 GB at $99 would have been a downgrade.

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Wrong.

If they had done what they always do, the iPhone 5 would be at $99 with 16GB.

Where do you live that the 4S had 8GB for $99? In the US, in 2012, the 4S was $99 with 16GB.

Better battery, more LTE bands, but cheaper casing.

Better phone but lower build quality.

Tough to classify as upgrade or downgrade.

Downgrade is context sensitive. But I think it makes a great kiddie phone. Durable, good price point for a genuine Apple device and perfect for kids who are more concerned with looks than features.

Radiating said:

Am I the only one who feels cheated that Apple essentially released an iPhone 5C with a cheaper heavier and lower end shell than simply releasing last year's iPhone as the lower end version? This would be like Apple releasing the iPhone 4S made of plastic last year because they didn't think consumers deserved a "real" iPhone below the top price bracket.

Apple didn't deliver a cheap iPhone like they were expected to. They delivered a lower quality product than they were expected to. Then tried to make it seem like a good thing because it's colorful.

How is this not a downgrade?

Click to expand...

Dude, I feel you, you are right. You should feel cheated.

But you're in the wrong forum. EVERYBODY here will defend and justify EVERYTHING that Apple does. Every product, every decision, every misstep, EVERYTHING.

You are not crazy for thinking that. It just means that you use your logic and common sense and are not brainwashed by Apple or blinded by your love of Apple products.

My opinion is that it would have been great at $0 on contract (even keeping the $549 unlocked price), tops $49. But at current prices, the product is just a joke and made to increase their profit margin even higher and persuade more people to just go to the 5s. The iPhone 5 at $99 would have cannibalized the 5s sales since the 5s is not that much different from it.

I don't care what others think but the iPhone 5C feels better than the 5/S. If the specs of the 5C were the sane as the S, I would get the C. The phone is solid!!!

New rule: don't comment on the 5C until you have held one in your hand and used it.

Held and played with a few while Verizon was trying to figure out my 5s (still unresolved). The 5c is a SHARP phone. The colors are bright and vibrant, build quality feels incredibly solid, and they're quite attractive. If I didn't already have so many cases for my 5, I would have considered the 5c.

Adelphos33 said:

New rule: don't comment on the 5C until you have held one in your hand and used it.

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I like the 5C. I would dump my iPhone 5 for a 5C in a heartbeat.

Mostly lateral move in terms of specs, but it feels vastly nicer to use.

Its a downgrade. By going plastic, the iphone 5 has now become nothing more than all those cheap androids out there at a more expensive price

The plastic iphone 5 is now a lot thicker and heavier than the aluminum one. And less durable. And they didn't even increased the capacity of the battery that much to compensate. The new battery is only 5% larger than the old battery. This translate to about 12 more minutes of battery life per day.

No, thanks. I'll take the aluminum iphone 5 any day.

ReallyBigFeet said:

Downgrade is context sensitive. But I think it makes a great kiddie phone. Durable, good price point for a genuine Apple device and perfect for kids who are more concerned with looks than features.

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True. My HS daughter had her eye on a C, saved up and bought it today. She's as happy as any 'serious iPhone user' who snagged a gold 5S today. She doesn't give a rip about an A7 processor, different camera or fingerprint sensor. She's more excited about dumping her 8 gig phone and actually having room for music, apps, etc.

The iPhone has long since moved away from being a 'luxury item'...Apple knows that growing the revenue pie means appealing to a broader audience. Some may call it a 'downgrade', but Apple is probably pulling just as much profit (if not more) from each C sale and making customers happy.

It's a plastic iPhone 5, I'd say that's a downgrade

Audio quality on the 5C is fabulous. I'm up past my bedtime listening to stuff I haven't bothered playing in a long time on a phone.

The camera and battery upgrades alone make 5c better, it doesn't matter what the phone is made of it is a better phone in practice. Why does it matter if it's made of aluminum or plastic (just because of a "premium" and scufffable casing?) it just works better. Not to mention that it's newer.

imaginex20 said:

I don't care what others think but the iPhone 5C feels better than the 5/S. If the specs of the 5C were the sane as the S, I would get the C. The phone is solid!!!

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I would be tempted to do the same. It feels wonderful in the hand, and I think they will be VERY durable.

I sold the 5C today and let me tell you. We sold more 5C's than 5S's. We mainly sold blue & pink.

The 5C feels great in your hand, it does not feel cheap at all. It feels like an Apple product. The 5C is just like the 5 but of course in colors.

I have an i5 myself to be to honest I wanted the blue 5C so bad.. Haha.

I was not amazed by the 5S. It's alright. I'm going to wait until the i6 though.