Apple Appears to Have Ditched Plans for 4-Inch 'iPhone 6c' in 2015

[MacRumors]

While several reports since last December claimed that Apple was planning to release a new 4-inch "iPhone 6c" as a low-cost option alongside the so-called "iPhone 6s" and "iPhone 6s Plus" later this year, Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri recently told investors that supply chain evidence of the rumored smartphone has seemingly disappeared since around March.

Arcuri, in a research note obtained by Business Insider, speculates that Apple may have delayed or dropped plans to release the "iPhone 6c" due to concerns that the budget smartphone would cannibalize the iPhone 6, which has experienced record-breaking sales and could continue to be a hot product for Apple if given a price reduction alongside the "iPhone 6s" and "iPhone 6s Plus" in September.

"I think one of the reasons is because the iPhone 6 has sold so well," Arcuri said. "And they said, 'Look, why would we want to cannibalize? If we came out with an iPhone 6C, we would essentially cannibalize a price-reduced iPhone 6.'"

Arcuri believed that the "iPhone 6c" would essentially be iPhone 6 hardware shrunken down to the size of an iPhone 5s, including an all-metal unibody that would differentiate itself from the plastic iPhone 5c released in 2013. Investment banking firm Jefferies predicted in late June that a 4-inch metal "iPhone 6c" will be released in early 2016, but that timing appears questionable.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued a note to investors in April that claimed a new 4-inch iPhone was unlikely in 2015, and a few weeks later said that Apple is instead likely to release a new 4-inch iPhone with Apple Pay compatibility in 2016. Kuo said that Foxconn will be the primary manufacturer of the low-cost handset, but Apple's product roadmap could have changed since that time.

Apple frequently tests new products and services internally that are never released, so it is entirely possible that the company never planned to make the "iPhone 6c" available to the public. Sketchy rumors and leaked images of the purported "iPhone 6c" shell -- notably plastic -- began picking up in December, but few concrete details about the rumored smartphone have surfaced since that time.

Article Link: Apple Appears to Have Ditched Plans for 4-Inch 'iPhone 6c' in 2015

 

[Slix]

So, in other words, they released a 4" iPod touch instead.

 

[IeU]

Thanks god.

 

[thekeyring]

They released the iPhone 5C and sales for iPhone 5S took them by surprise. They upped the price of the iPhone when they released the 6 and 6 Plus and it outsold any iPhone release previously. They released a solid gold smartwatch and it sold, well, better than the "No one's going to buy that!" predicted by analysts, haters, and us lot.

I guess Apple really doesn't need a "cheap" option, anymore than it already offers.

Also, this doesn't have to stop them releasing a 4" phone again. Didn't lots of people say "I don't want a cheap phone - I want the latest internals, just a 4" screen."

 

[Serban]

yes, with skype and a lot of VoIP you dont really need an iphone

 

[jlasoon]

Chinese market blowing up. Apple needs something cheaper.

 

[leftynaut]

bummer. looks like i'll be holding on to my 5S until forced obsolescence forces me to move on.

 

[slimbloke]

I know SO many people who didn't upgrade from a 5 due to the size increase of the 6... shame.

 

[Z400Racer37]

I don't get why they would scrap it... I know plenty of people who got the 6, but would have preferred the 4" screen of the 5s because their hands are small...

 

[Rogifan]

So, in other words, they released a 4" iPod touch instead.

Perhaps what people thought was a 4" iPhone was really just the iPod touch. In one of Ming-Chi Kuo's reports he referenced a pink iPhone. Perhaps that was really the pink iPod touch.

 

[redscull]

So, why not just release a 4" 6C with the same internals as the 6 and sell it alongside the 6 at the exact same price as the 6? Would that still be considered cannibalizing if they cost the same? I am sure there's added cost on their part to offer two products, but might not two products capture more total audience?

Why does the C model have to be a budget phone? Apple doesn't need to sell a budget phone. I personally don't want to buy a budget phone. But I do prefer a 4" (or even 3.5") screen. And I happen to be pretty attached to the color options like my 5C.

 

[wigby]

So now we're quoting analyst's imaginary conversations?

"I think one of the reasons is because the iPhone 6 has sold so well," Arcuri said. "And they said, 'Look, why would we want to cannibalize? If we came out with an iPhone 6C, we would essentially cannibalize a price-reduced iPhone 6.'"

 

[Dented]

I don't doubt they shelved it (if it ever existed) but I don't buy the analyst's reasoning - Apple have never worried about cannibalisation before. The 6c would presumably feature cheaper components than the premium iPhone 6 but probably be priced similarly to "last year's iphone", meaning Apple's profit margin would be higher - why should they be precious about iPhone 6 sales if the 6S maintains the high end going forward and the 6c makes more money at the bottom - surely the iPhone 6 can go suck it, just like the iPhone 5 did when the 5c came out?

While we're on the subject - why does anyone listen to these analysts anyway - have they ever been right?

 

[Tankmaze]

the new ipod touch is as good as it gets for the newest 4" iOS device screen.

 

[iSRS]

So is the larger iPhone selling so well that a 4" version would canabalize it or no? The conclusions from this "data" don't line up with each other.

 

[AppleScruff1]

I don't get why they would scrap it... I know plenty of people who got the 6, but would have preferred the 4" screen of the 5s because their hands are small...

You just answered the question.

 

[tirk]

bummer. looks like i'll be holding on to my 5S until forced obsolescence forces me to move on.

Yup. My SO recently got a 5S after being unable to get on with the 6 due to small fingers.

 

[nepalisherpa]

I'm sure Apple knows better than me, but, honestly, rather than cannibalizing 6/6+ sale, I think they would have seen more upgrades from folks who prefer 5/5S size and did not upgrade to 6/6+.

 

[Rogifan]

They released the iPhone 5C and sales for iPhone 5S took them by surprise. They upped the price of the iPhone when they released the 6 and 6 Plus and it outsold any iPhone release previously. They released a solid gold smartwatch and it sold, well, better than the "No one's going to buy that!" predicted by analysts, haters, and us lot.

I guess Apple really doesn't need a "cheap" option, anymore than it already offers.

I wonder if Apple will just drop the price of the 6/6 Plus and kill the 5C (or maybe keep it around for markets like India)? Having 6 phones in the lineup seems nuts. Maybe the 6 Plus doesn't get discounted and only the 6 hangs around as the mid tier option?

 

[aleksander]

In other words, if they fear it would cannibalise larger iPhone, it means it would sell well, which means there is a demand. Why not offer something for which there's a considerable demand?

 

[thekeyring]

I wonder if Apple will just drop the price of the 6/6 Plus and kill the 5C (or maybe keep it around for markets like India)? Having 6 phones in the lineup seems nuts. Maybe the 6 Plus doesn't get discounted and only the 6 hangs around as the mid tier option?

The fate of the 6 Plus is intriguing.

If history is anything to go on, the 5C gets discontinued, the 5S becomes "Free" and the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus get price cuts.

Whether the iPhone 6 Plus will disappear completely is interesting. I'm leaning towards it staying.

 

[Kaibelf]

So basically, the reported rumors turned out to be unfounded nonsense, so instead of just saying "hey, it was unfounded nonsense" we're spinning it to make it look like Apple changed gears.

 

[driceman]

Customers (screaming): iPhone screens are too small! You need to make a bigger phone!
Apple: -releases bigger phone-
Customers (still screaming): iPhone screens are too big! You should go back to the smaller size!
Apple: -releases iPod Touch with A8 chip and then decides customers are going to whine no matter what they do-

Love my iPhone 6 Plus!

 

[oldmacs]

Oh ffs Apple, if it would cannibalise sales, then there is obviously demand, so just make a 4 inch option of the 6S. Otherwise I'll be getting the 5S and using that till it dies.

 

[diddl14]

Why not do an iPhone Mini instead?