Lower-Cost iPhone Said to Use 'Super-Thin' Plastic and Fiberglass Shell in 4-6 Colors

[robogobo]

I'd like to see Apple buck the trend and make this lower cost plastic thing an iPhone mini. Maybe even an iPhone Nano. Give me something small in my pocket, not a 5" monstrosity.

 

[tekboi]

No... they have just saturated the market of people willing to settle on a color that isn't what they want, to get the phone that otherwise meets their needs. With genuine competition from other manufacturers, providing the product the customer wants becomes more important. Adding colors may be a necessary means of maintaining and expanding the market share.


Think about it this way: What would the world be like today if cars had never moved on from Ford's "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black." philosophy?

I understand you point. But, it just seems really gimmicky for apple to suddenly start releasing a bunch of colors for the iPhone. Instead of focusing their energy on releasing multiple colors, they should work on doing something significant with iOS because we all know its time.

 

[Tankmaze]

apple need to make 5 inch 1080p phone and be done with it for the next 3 years. and improve the software.

 

[ArchAndroid]

Colours: Black, Midnight, Coal, Noir

Online Build to Order Colours:
Obsidian, Anthracite

 

[7thson]

Won't having so many product lines hinder apple? This was one of the problems they had in the 90's when they were tanking.

As you stated, that was only part of the problem. They also had lousy software no one wanted, except for diehard fans. Then there was the problem with the clones poorly implementing the lousy software. Jony Ives was all set to quit until Apple bought NeXT and brought SJ back into the fold. Apple is the same company, but they are on a dramatically different course now. Personally, I think the idea of an emerging market iPhone is a good bet at selling a product to populations of people who don't have instant credit worthiness when they reach the age of 18.

 

[olowott]

Price and the iOS will be its selling point

Hope it wont be called the iPhone5s

 

[vsighi]

It better be an 4" OLED screen...or I'll order the SAMSUNG 4 !!

 

[maxosx]

The plastic Samsung uses is cheap.

Oh yeah, that comment is completely wrong, a guess that's a failure. I'm no Samsung supporter, but if you honesly believe what you just wrote, it's time to learn your plastics.

Apple's plastic is an innovative miracle product came out of 3 years of research by Apple, it is advanced than medical grade plastic, it is advanced than carbon fiber reinforced polymer used in defense industry.

Now this is so hilarious, it's simply mind boggling.

You're not here to contribute anything meaningful, just to spread FUD for your pleasure.... guess what? Only the most clueless would read the post and believe it.

I bet Apple uses a very high grade of plastic that comes from a plastics manufacturer that's sell's their materials to hundreds of other companies just like Samsung.

Don't believe it? Try Google or Bing they are there for educational purposes.

 

[jrswizzle]

Now this is so hilarious, it's simply mind boggling.

You're not here to contribute anything meaningful, just to spread FUD for your pleasure.... guess what? Only the most clueless would read the post and believe it.

I bet Apple uses a very high grade of plastic that comes from a plastics manufacturer that's sell's their materials to hundreds of other companies just like Samsung.

Don't believe it? Try Google or Bing they are there for educational purposes.

That poster was being sarcastic....

 

[2bikes]

It will be for emerging markets (China, India, etc) only.

Why only?

 

[jrswizzle]

It better be an 4" OLED screen...or I'll order the SAMSUNG 4 !!

Eww...the same screen that's in the iP5 would be fine, ya know, considering its the most color accurate display on the market. IPS LCD > AMOLED

 

[Lancer]

If they start making more than one NEW iPhone it's going to make buying them harder, I already can't choose between black or white

 

[Syk]

It will be for emerging markets only.

I'd be surprised if Apple didn't offer it state side. Especially seeing how people like different color phones although putting a case on it can some what accomplish this.

I don't see why they wouldn't offer a premium model and one that's not so much.
Toyota/Lexus

 

[Plutonius]

Why only?

1) A cheaply made phone would kill the iPhone brand.
2) If you read the stories over the last 6 months, Apple is developing a cheap phone in order to compete in the emerging markets (China, India, etc.) where the phones are not subsidized and the people do not have the money to buy a current iPhone.

 

[ElTorro]

Plastic or not, people hide their phones in covers, so it doesn't make a lot of difference.
But just how much money would Apple save? The whole phone's BOM is around $250.
Say $20,

 

[fullauto]

Longing to upgrade the 4S but won't buy into the 5 series, fingers crossed for the 6. Gutted to see these Samsung phones getting great screens.

If I have to run apps with black borders - so be it, developers will catch up and redesign software as (IMO) the bulk of users will switch to a (bigger) wider screen.

Another 18+ months until a redesigned 6 is a long time to wait it out (plus the last 20 months hanging on to the 4S). Loyal users that don't want to switch to Android or the alternatives are just having to sit patiently and suck it up. They won't stay devoted forever because they feel they aren't being listened to.

The 5 series was a bridge Apple had to build to counteract their (loud and vocal) devotion for a 3.5" 'thumb friendly' screen. They couldn't go from 3.5" to 4.8-5" without looking hypocritical. Amazingly they turned it into a profitable 2 year product.

4.8-5" screen, more advanced iOS, tie in with the future OS11 - gold.

 

[rMBP13]

4-inch wont sell very well in China, Apple needs to release a 4.5-incher instead

 

[unagimiyagi]

Who is this Ming guy? He is dead on accurate, every time. He's 99% correct.
He must have some incriminating photos of Tim Cook or something.
He does not miss, so he has a source somewhere. No one can be this smart simply by deducing from the supply chain.

Anytime this guy speaks, the spoiler has already happened. You can plan your buying decisions based around this guy's reveals.

 

[Sedrick]

I'm getting whiplash from watching these fanboys change their position on plastic phones.

"Oh, but Apple's plastic is better!" LMAO. Do you guys even listen to your own BS?

 

[2bikes]

1) A cheaply made phone would kill the iPhone brand.
2) If you read the stories over the last 6 months, Apple is developing a cheap phone in order to compete in the emerging markets (China, India, etc.) where the phones are not subsidized and the people do not have the money to buy a current iPhone.

I don't see Apple`s strategy as making a cheaply made phone. It is a low-cost phone, a phone that will have less features than the current model. Cheap resonates negative for a lot of people.

Look at other manufacturers. They have their flagship phones and then low cost options. Mostly cheaply made. If Apple can deliver a low-end but still premium phone, it will attract people all around the world. Not ONLY at emerging markets. And people live in emerging markets know what is cheap and what is not also.

 

[0029937]

I understand you point. But, it just seems really gimmicky for apple to suddenly start releasing a bunch of colors for the iPhone. Instead of focusing their energy on releasing multiple colors, they should work on doing something significant with iOS because we all know its time.

Do you not realize(I'm assuming of course, but it's a logical assumption I think) that Apple has hardware and software teams and that this whole color thing will not in anyway be on the minds of the people responsible for making iOS better? "Focusing their energy on releasing multiple colors", you make it sounds like they took guys from the software side to solve this great color engineering problem.

The way I look at it, the market is getting saturated. Colors will definitely bring consumer interest.

 

[Four oF NINE]

So we'll have the iPhone 5S classic for the US and other first world nations, and the polycarbonate iPhone for developing nations?

I'm hoping the 5S includes a 128 GB storage option.

 

[denmarkguy]

but will it blend?

but will it blend?

 

[0029937]

Longing to upgrade the 4S but won't buy into the 5 series, fingers crossed for the 6.

I'm in the same boat. Refuse to get a longer phone. I want wider so I can type easier on the keyboard among other things. I've held the Z10 by BB and loved it's proportions.

 

[Doc750]

I can't believe rather then come up with something new, apple is just blantly copying Samsung by making low cost plastic phones.

Knowing apple they will put old processors inside to run these cheap phones.

Pathetic.