Apple to Introduce Cheaper iPhone at WWDC?

[MacRumors]

Financial Times confidently reports that Apple is planning on launching a "cut-price" version of the iPhone on Monday.

Apple plans to introduce a cheaper version of its popular iPhone as soon as Monday, in a move that could dramatically increase the company’s share of the market for web-surfing devices, people familiar with the initiative said on Thursday.

Analysts are predicting the cut would be either $50 or $100. If true, the drop would significantly stimulate sales of Apple's iPhone by up to 100%. The new phone is expected to start production in July.

Financial Times has been reasonably accurate in the past, though most their previous information had been surrounding Apple's negotiations with record labels.

Article Link: Apple to Introduce Cheaper iPhone at WWDC?

[BillyBobBongo]

From the looks of things my current mobile is on its last legs. This could be some very fortunate timing for a change, if this happens!

[Apple Ink]

Here we go again..

[bruinsrme]

I can't wait until teh new phone is available so we can switch from all these threads to the "I just bought a 3G a week ago and the new iphone video is now available, what can I do" threads

[backlash224]

start production in July?

[Ironduke]

If this is true then this is apple saying

"BEECHES COME!"

[bruinsrme]

Originally Posted by backlash224

start production in July?

Which would probably make it avilable August?

[David Turnbull]

I wouldn't complain if the iPhone was cheaper.

[Eso]

The article says very little.

Could it be the new model at a lower capacity? Could they continue to sell the current 3G in parallel with the new model?

If it's anything that mimics the speculation of the "iPhone Nano" I will LMAO.

[leonstafford]

as an iPhone developer the more people using the better, just hope the product line all supports 90% of the same code. granted things like video cameras and laser beams won't be in every model...

[iansilv]

If they brought out an iPhone with like 4gb and no video cameras at 49$ they would absolutely destroy- I mean destroy every other phone maker out there. They would KILL Samsung, Rim, Nokia, LG- heck everyone. And users would flock to ATT for that. That is scary- it would truly reset the cell phone industry even more.

Man... I mean it would destroy other carriers. Sprint would go bye bye. Verizon would start playing even more damn annoying dork "can you hear me now" commercials...

Pre, next storm- DOA...

Nokia N9484457 or whatever- don't even bother bringing it out...

[iansilv]

Originally Posted by leonstafford

as an iPhone developer the more people using the better, just hope the product line all supports 90% of the same code. granted things like video cameras and laser beams won't be in every model...

Yeah- like they could just use lower capacity storage and no video camera and still maintain app compatibility with everything that does not involve video.

[iansilv]

Originally Posted by Ironduke

If this is true then this is apple saying

"BEECHES COME!"

More like "Sit Down Bitches- NOW!"

[diazj3]

If they don´t make a clear and significant differentiation with this new model, I guess we'll see A LOT of people complaining the same way people did when the price was dramatically dropped shortly after its intro. But on the other hand, that would be Apple´s "business as usual"... upgrading products and lowering prices more too often, driving lots of customers to frustration or bitterness towards Apple.

Still, IMO the biggest drawback of getting an iPhone outside the US are the very expensive plans you must pay to get one, specially when it comes to monthly bandwidth, as in all cases it's distributed by only one carrier. I really hope they'd make it more affordable on the distribution side of the business, allowing more carriers to sell it - encouraging a stronger price/value competition.

[trekkie604]

make an iphone nano, sell it unlocked at retail, take over the world.

[ruinfx]

next week is going to be crazy

[XciteMe]

So does this mean the new iPhone will ONLY come in one single, cheap, stripped-down version???????? Or will they do the thing that was rumored all along, which is a high-end, feature-packed iPhone with bigger capacity, and a cheaper, smaller-capacity one with less features??????

Cuz I don't want a cheapie iPhone... I'll gladly pay an arm & leg for an awesome piece of Apple technology, not some Wal-Mart iPhone.

[ruinfx]

Originally Posted by XciteMe

So does this mean the new iPhone will ONLY come in one single, cheap, stripped-down version???????? Or will they do the thing that was rumored all along, which is a high-end, feature-packed iPhone with bigger capacity, and a cheaper, smaller-capacity one with less features??????

Cuz I don't want a cheapie iPhone... I'll gladly pay an arm & leg for an awesome piece of Apple technology, not some Wal-Mart iPhone.

not at all. this is likely meshing with the rumor of 4 different capacity iphone models being certified. the 4GB and 8GB will likely be the lower end models and the 16GB and 32GB the full featured model.

[CiskMonkey]

Can I be the first person to start the inevitable deluge of "I bought an iPhone yesterday and I've just discovered the rumours of the new phones" complaints? Unfortunately in my case it's absolutely true. In future, if anybody wants to know what Apple are about to release and not bother with the rumours, please feel free to watch my spending habits. Whatever I buy is generally superceded by a new version within 7 days......d'oh.

[troller]

Originally Posted by trekkie604

make an iphone nano, sell it unlocked at retail, take over the world.

or continue to ripoff people by selling old eggs as brand new apples !

[entropys]

Originally Posted by diazj3

If they don´t make a clear and significant differentiation with this new model, I guess we'll see A LOT of people complaining the same way people did when the price was dramatically dropped shortly after its intro. But on the other hand, that would be Apple´s "business as usual"... upgrading products and lowering prices more too often, driving lots of customers to frustration or bitterness towards Apple.

Yeah, every person in the world would prefer apple didn't improve its products and kept charging megabucks as a matter of principle.

Still, IMO the biggest drawback of getting an iPhone outside the US are the very expensive plans you must pay to get one, specially when it comes to monthly bandwidth, as in all cases it's distributed by only one carrier. I really hope they'd make it more affordable on the distribution side of the business, allowing more carriers to sell it - encouraging a stronger price/value competition.

Actually , there are a number of countries with more than one carrier. For example, in OZ there are three carriers and an MVNO (making four different companies to buy from) all offering a number of different packages containing different data allowances, number of included calls and length of contract. You can even buy outright and pay as you go.
You can get a two year contract for AUD$49 per month with zero upfront. Only 250mb of data per month though, although if you don't youtube that is actually about right. But the carrier in question has a 3G network rivaled only by AT&T for suckiness.

So we can have cheap connection but poor network, an absolutely fabulous high speed network but charges that make AT&T look almost sane, and a wide range of options in between.

Oh, and we don't pay for incoming calls.

[spooky2k]

Believe it, video on this new iPhone is enough to make the old iPhones feel old. It's a 'why wasn't it there in the first place' feature that you won't know how you lived without for so long. I just bought a flip HD for filming videos and my new iPhone could replace that. Brilliant. Video and better camera and I'm sold. It becomes my perfect phone at that point.

[peterdevries]

Originally Posted by iansilv

If they brought out an iPhone with like 4gb and no video cameras at 49$ they would absolutely destroy- I mean destroy every other phone maker out there. They would KILL Samsung, Rim, Nokia, LG- heck everyone. And users would flock to ATT for that. That is scary- it would truly reset the cell phone industry even more.

Man... I mean it would destroy other carriers. Sprint would go bye bye. Verizon would start playing even more damn annoying dork "can you hear me now" commercials...

Pre, next storm- DOA...

Nokia N9484457 or whatever- don't even bother bringing it out...

Although this would be great for my Apple stocks, I fear that you are exaggerating it a wee tiny bit.

In addition, I'm still seeing a lot of people hating Apple because it's becoming popular. It's crazy but I have talked to people who own Nokia's calling iPhone owners conformists…

There is a lot of non-rational hate for Apple that doesn't only apply ti the iPhone or iPods. I guess this is also due to many fundamentalist Apple Fanboys that are around that keep flaming MS for al that it's worth..

So, even IF a cheap iPhone WOULD be introduced (which I have to see to believe), I think many people will stick to their Nokia's, Samsungs and HTC's just because they are not willing to join the Apple customer group.. Sad, but true..

I personally think non-conformists are sad people. You do not define yourself by purposely not belonging to a certain group.

[xDYLANx]

Originally Posted by trekkie604

make an iphone nano, sell it unlocked at retail, take over the world.

I KNEW this thread wouldn't be able to make it without at least one iPhone nano reference.

[gikku]

Originally Posted by diazj3

Still, IMO the biggest drawback of getting an iPhone outside the US are the very expensive plans you must pay to get one.

I pay the equivalent of US$17/mth for my iPhone 3G, that's not a whole lot, or have the option of unlimited use for US$90/mth