Apple Acknowledges Consumers Want Larger and Cheaper Phones

[patohi]

In a further breakdown, Apple acknowledges that "consumers want what we don't have" -- which shows that the majority of smartphone growth is in both >4" screen sizes and <$300 markets.


This is kinda true... I looked at the nexus 5 and thought for $350 that is a pretty good phone... and then getting a Tmob plan would save even more money....

I don't care for or need a bigger screen.
Would I like a cheaper phone? Ya!

Apple has been successful because of carrier subsidies, which seems to be something that carriers are trying to end!

That is why apple isn't popular in other countries besides the USA... You have to pay for the full price of the phone.... If subsides go away and you have a choice between $350 vs $600, that might just be enough to get me outta the apple eco system.

The iPhone 5c failed due to Apples greed... No one was going to buy a phone that was worse then a iPhone 5. When people asked me about the iPhone 5c I told them to get a iPhone 5 because it was a better phone and was selling at the same price... Apple made the 5c because they didn't want to take a hit in the pocket when the iPhone 5 was supposed to hit $100 on a 2 year...

If Apple doesn't make a cheaper phone when subsides end, its market share will look like its computer market share.

 

[Simm95]

What Apple Needs is New Innovative Products. The iPhone this June will be almost 8 Years old. The iPhone Gravy Train is almost over. Its time to invent some new products. Just like the iPod had its run, The iPhone run is coming to a close soon.

It's not exactly that the iPod had its run, the iPhone just replaced it. There was no need for an iPod when you had a smartphone. The cell phone will not have its run for a long long time(if ever), so they need to continue on with the iPhone. There's nothing to replace it.

 

[smoledman]

It might be prudent to read up on something thoroughly and get a grasp on new technology, before trying to "be right" for the sake of having to reply and belittle someone. I won't be so rude as to gloat like a buffoon, but your really don't (or didn't) seem aware of the TOTAL re-design of the Mac Pro - not only aesthetically - in the current iteration. That's cool man - we all have knowledge boundaries, and now yours have been expanded a little - it happens to us all each day

The Mac Pro is taking an existing supercomputer design and scaling it down to a form factor usable by a prosumer. That in itself is amazing that Apple would go to such lengths to be innovative.

 

[penplotter]

It's not exactly that the iPod had its run, the iPhone just replaced it. There was no need for an iPod when you had a smartphone. The cell phone will not have its run for a long long time(if ever), so they need to continue on with the iPhone. There's nothing to replace it.

Odd that - I could place money on the fact that I can still buy an iPod from anywhere. Doesn't seem to be "replaced" to me, unless I am hallucinating.

 

[tdale]

Do you really think that Tim Cook or Johnny Ive think any differently about product vision than Jobs? They are all of the same visionary mindset.

I agree, but my issue is being told that customers do not know what they want.

In the pre modern smartphone era, I agree with that. Once its been released and adopted, refined, evolved, people who want a smartphone know what they want and what they dont want.

(Excluding the users who dont care anything about a phone, just that it can call and text)

 

[penplotter]

The Mac Pro is taking an existing supercomputer design and scaling it down to a form factor usable by a prosumer. That in itself is amazing that Apple would go to such lengths to be innovative.

You seem surprised - I find that, in turn, surprising- do you think Apple show the same contempt for their customer's knowledge of how a computer works as most other manufacturers do? I don't think a change of shape and a bit of dark grey lacquer alone would have been enough, do you? We're not talking about the masses here - Mac Pro users, on the whole I would think, have a modicum more intelligence and insight into their purchase than the average "PC World" or "Wallmart" shopper

ALL Apple computers are super! YAY!

I veered OT there... so, back to consumer land...

 

[smoledman]

It's not exactly that the iPod had its run, the iPhone just replaced it. There was no need for an iPod when you had a smartphone. The cell phone will not have its run for a long long time(if ever), so they need to continue on with the iPhone. There's nothing to replace it.

Agreed, the iPhone is a transcendent product that will continue evolving. Eventually I see it changing into a different form factor(wearable?) but whatever that future device will be will have the capability of performing voice/video calling.

----------

I agree, but my issue is being told that customers do not know what they want.

In the pre modern smartphone era, I agree with that. Once its been released and adopted, refined, evolved, people who want a smartphone know what they want and what they dont want.

(Excluding the users who dont care anything about a phone, just that it can call and text)

Until Apple comes out with the iWatch and suddenly people who poo-pooed the idea *need* to have it. Just like nobody saw the iPhone coming.

 

[Toltepeceno]

I'm sorry but this is an overrated, old and tired excuse. One hand operation in touchscreen era is complete BS.

Yes you can operate iPhone using one hand. Then I can do it on a big Android too. But the point is, one handed operation is not comfortable for a long period. It's for emergency situations for when it's not possible to use your phone with both hands e.g when you're commuting, eating, cooking etc.

For regular use, two hands operation is the most efficient and comfortable. I could type faster, and more accurate.

So I would gladly embrace the new bigger iPhone.

I figure it must be porn junkies worried the most about one hand operation. It's really a lame excuse otherwise. Just like the "too big for pockets" excuse, the iphone is just over 2" wide and not remotely as big as a pocket unless you are 4.

 

[Rettun1]

What Apple Needs is New Innovative Products. The iPhone this June will be almost 8 Years old. The iPhone Gravy Train is almost over. Its time to invent some new products. Just like the iPod had its run, The iPhone run is coming to a close soon.

The iPod became less popular as smartphones started to be able to hold everyone's music, eliminating the need for two devices. The end of the iPhone will come when we no longer have a need for smartphones.

 

[pure3d2]

This is making me think that there will be a 6c with a 4.7" screen.

I certainly hope they won't name a phone "6c." "6c" sounds a lot like "eat feces" in Cantonese.

 

[Simm95]

Yeah, which is hampered by apple's stingy 1Gig of ram(iOS takes up around half of the RAM). Innovation means nothing when it can barely be utilized.

Where is that information from because 1 GB of RAM handles anything you throw at that processor. Now in a bunch of android devices, they have 2 GB of RAM and the second gigabyte is rarely touched or utilized. As you said, "Innovation means nothing when it can barely be utilized."

 

[mysticbluebmw]

Am I the only one who doesn't want a bigger iPhone screen? If they do that, I hope they keep the smaller one as an option. Of course, that will have the disadvantage of making developers account for yet another screen size (unless the bigger iPhone is just bigger pixels), but I really don't want to make the phone any more difficult to put in my pocket, for example.

If I want to get real work done, I'll use a full-fledged computer. The things people are doing, painstakingly, on mobile devices these days scare me. #OldPeopleProblems?

Lol, back to your cave!

 

[polbit]

My Note 2 (and now Note 3) has replaced my phone AND my tablet for two things - the phone aspect, and browsing/book reading aspect. I'd still choose an iPhone over the Note 3 at the same screen size, but currently I do not have that option - Samsung is the only viable option in the large phone category. I love the fact that I don't have to bring a tablet with me to read books or surf the web in a more comfortable fashion anymore. I don't even take a tablet to bed anymore if I want to read a book - my phone is big enough. That is a revolutionary shift in my usage, and it's so funny that of all companies, Samsung is the one that pioneered it. The copycat, the me-too company...

I can honestly say that the phablet phone factor (and with battery that can last two days with heavy usage) has changed my usage patterns as much as the first iPhone I got after being tied to the Palm platform. The sad part is that iPhone was revolutionary in every way over the Palm, but the Note 3 is really just about the size and few extra features - Apple can fix this so easily, they just refuse to do it. It's actually funny - my wife has the 5s, and while she enjoys it, every time we are together, if she wants to look something up on the internet, or use nav, she asks to use my phone...

 

[Simm95]

Odd that - I could place money on the fact that I can still buy an iPod from anywhere. Doesn't seem to be "replaced" to me, unless I am hallucinating.

What I meant was that although they still sell them, they don't sell a lot since they're useless when you have a smartphone.

 

[Toltepeceno]

The iPhone 5c failed due to Apples greed... No one was going to buy a phone that was worse then a iPhone 5.

Failed? It outsells everything BUT the 5s and I don't think ANYONE thought it would outsell the 5s. But failed? The second biggest selling smartphone? Give me a break.

 

[Count Blah]

You think Steve Jobs asked the customers when he came up with the iPhone and revolutionized the cell phone market forever?

I am ashamed of the mediocrity of Apple executives.

Give the customers the opposite if what they want. Brilliant!!!!!

 

[smoledman]

Failed? It outsells everything BUT the 5s and I don't think ANYONE thought it would outsell the 5s. But failed? The second biggest selling smartphone? Give me a break.

Yeah I really have to wonder what some people's definition of "failure" is. If the 5C is a failure than Nokia, HTC and Sony should just shut their doors.

 

[penplotter]

What I meant was that although they still sell them, they don't sell a lot since they're useless when you have a smartphone.

Show me the sales sheets please, Mr Cook.

 

[elgrecomac]

Several years ago, I posted in this forum my opinion that I thought the iPhone 3 screen was too small and ditto the iPhone 4 and 5. Many on this board flamed me because ' Steve said this was the 'right' size, therefore its the right size'.
I find it difficult to read most things on the small iphone screen and the keyboard is also too small to type accurately. At the end of my 2 year ATT commitment, which ends in October, I was planning to jump to an Samsung s5 because of a larger screen even though the iphone's OS is superior. I sincerely hope Apple offers 3 sizes, 4" for the traditionalists, 4.7" for those who want things a bit larger and 5.5" for those who just can read the tiny screens.

Apples offers different sizes and models with ipads and Macs, so why not iphones? This is not a hard decision.

As for cheaper phones, well, Apple has never been cheap or cheaper than anyone's products. That is not part of their DNA. They make 'over engineered' (in the very best sense) products, not cheap ones....oops, except for the 'unapologetically plastic" iphone 5c.

 

[smoledman]

Several years ago, I posted in this forum my opinion that I thought the iPhone 3 screen was too small and ditto the iPhone 4 and 5. Many on this board flamed me because ' Steve said this was the 'right' size, therefore its the right size'.
I find it difficult to read most things on the small iphone screen and the keyboard is also too small to type accurately. At the end of my 2 year ATT commitment, which ends in October, I was planning to jump to an Samsung s5 because of a larger screen even though the iphone's OS is superior. I sincerely hope Apple offers 3 sizes, 4" for the traditionalists, 4.7" for those who want things a bit larger and 5.5" for those who just can read the tiny screens.

Apples offers different sizes and models with ipads and Macs, so why not iphones? This is not a hard decision.

For me the Nexus 5 screen size is the the sweet spot between iPhone and the monster Galaxy S5 or Note 3.

 

[patohi]

But will Apple offer lower end products?

I think they could do lower end right. People want and love Apple software and hardware, but not the Apple price. The 5c should of been $0 on contract and they would of sold more to makeup for hit in profit per device. Apple can have the same high quality premium products along side lower end devices. I don't think this would do any damage.

Apple can do this if they choose to, but maybe they don't want to be that big. There might be a limit or line they don't want to cross...

 

[penplotter]

With so many genius armchair pundits on Macrumors, you guys could all start your own Apple training school, and teach Apple where they're "misguided" - come on - put your money where your mouths are...

 

[patohi]

Failed? It outsells everything BUT the 5s and I don't think ANYONE thought it would outsell the 5s. But failed? The second biggest selling smartphone? Give me a break.

In Apples eyes it did...

It did not meet expectations...

 

[brendu]

And thats were innovation kicks in with a suprise device that does.

Except that there isn't any tech that is ready and practical today. All the pieces were there before the iPhone, Apple just put them together and provided the software which no one else could envision at the time. I doubt there is any technology remotely close to being ready that could REPLACE a smartphone... Apple isn't going to release a product that will replace the iPhone like it did to the iPod. They are going to release products that push people to buy new iPhones.

 

[smoledman]

Except that there isn't any tech that is ready and practical today. All the pieces were there before the iPhone, Apple just put them together and provided the software which no one else could envision at the time. I doubt there is any technology remotely close to being ready that could REPLACE a smartphone... Apple isn't going to release a product that will replace the iPhone like it did to the iPod. They are going to release products that push people to buy new iPhones.

For Apple the key acquisition was FingerWorks in 2004. I wonder why nobody else thought of buying that company.