Apple Launching 5.5-Inch iPhone 6 After 4.7-Inch Version to Avoid Competition Between Two Models?

[dumastudetto]

this is BS. There is no competition because no one is going to buy both regardless. If they release the 4.7" first people will buy it (for less money) and then will just be pissed off that they can't get the 5.5" when it comes out because they aren't eligible for a hardware upgrade anymore

Believe it or not there are phone fanatics who buy multiple handsets every year. And if Apple can be seen to be launching new iPhones every six months, that breathes new life into the product twice a year versus the current launch cycle of offering new phones once every 12 months. That's some positive justification I can see for separate launches.

 

[iMcLovin]

I dont believe in this rumor. Even if the 5s would have been delayed 6 months I wouldnt have chose the 5c, simply because I wanted the top model. And I think a lot of apples customers want the top model, always. ....I cant see apple not knowing this, they should know this better than anybody by now, people want the premium products. So unless the 5.5 is exactly the same quality or less premium, that cant be the reason for holding it back.

I read new info about these phones every day now. By now, I dont believe in any of these rumors, Ill just wait and see what happens.

But, still not sure which one would be best? I will of course buy the best model they have, but 5.5" seems in some way too big. So, if that one is delayed by months, I won't really mind, then apple is choosing for me ...unless the 4.8 is a crappy plastic model.

 

[pmau]

Like being upset at Apple has hurt overall sales. At times, Apple customers are in a codependent relationship accepting all the drama that comes with owning such a fashion statement of a product.

I have known and worked with Ferrari and Lamborghini owners. The drama they have with their cars, repair bills and occasional oddities of their exotics are part and parcel owning such a beauty.

Some would say trophy wives are the same way.

I have no experience with Ferraris nor trophy wifes

Apple products is the only thing I can rant about.
If that changes, I'll let everyone know.

But I still think it would be bad to not tell customers about a possible introduction.

Even if it's not for sale in September.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

What mistake was made with launching the 5s and 5c exactly? ...

The price differential between the two models was only $100 but the 5s gave consumers a lot more "bang for the buck" for that extra $100 so they overwhelming went with that model. That left Apple with a huge inventory of unsold iPhone 5c's and a black eye.

"To avoid competition between two models"... how, exactly? I don't see the point.

Substitute "competition" for "confusion." That's the point. It happens all the time with product launches - a company releases two very similar models with just one or two differences. Some consumers have a hard time with such narrow decisions so they delay the purchase indefinitely until they can make up their mind.

Also it helps create additional sales -- some will buy the 4.7 to hold them off and then the 5.5 when it comes out.

That's not a valid reason. Maybe there will be a delay for the 5.5, but not for this.

Of course it's a valid reason. Company's stagger product launches all the time for marketing purposes, even Apple. Recently we saw Gillette stagger it's new Fusion razors with the manual launching a week ahead of the power model. BMW does similar with the 3 sedans and coupes/convertibles (thought the latter are now technically 4's they still have the 3's underpinnings and styling).

But the bottom line here is it is Apple's product so whatever reason they have to delay a product is legitimate.

 

[Abazigal]

What mistake was made with launching the 5s and 5c exactly? ...

My guess is with estimating demand. I think apple may focus more production on the 4.7 model now, then shift to the 5.5 model later once demand for the former has cooled. Plus, based on how many people bought the 4.7 model, you can roughly estimate the demand for the larger model.

This way, you don't have to agonize over how many of each to make, and risk having too many of one model and not enough of the other.

 

[sanook997]

Makes absolutely no sense to me......

I will wait until I can compare both models side by side to make my choice, no way I make a purchase without a comparison.

Competition? This is ridiculous, site one valid reason for that statement? There's no upside for Apple, if someone buys a 4.7 and later sees a 5.5 and wishes they purchased it instead, they will certainly be upset with Apple, I cannot think of one chance for a positive doing the release this way.

 

[maflynn]

Competition? This is ridiculous, site one valid reason for that statement? There's no upside for Apple, if someone buys a 4.7 and later sees a 5.5 and wishes they purchased it instead, they will certainly be upset with Apple, I cannot think of one chance for a positive doing the release this way.

Agreed, they're not competing with themselves here, but with Samsung, LG, and others who make phablets. Why give them more opportunity for sales because you don't want to risk selling less 4.7 models over the 5.5.

The more I think about this, the more insane this is.

 

[ricci]

I don't buy this idea of confusion? I believe everybody already knows what size they want! For me , I would like to see both side by side and make my choice! If they delay the larger screen, that will just make me wait until I can compare both!

 

[coldsweat]

And the backtracking begins..........

 

[bushido]

figured as there havent been any real leaks of the big one.

i wouldnt mind, my plan doesnt expire til march of next year hehe

 

[AppleWarMachine]

But I'm sure one won't be last year's model wrapped in colored plastic

 

[woodekm]

Several months = 24, while they milk the 4.7".

Ill be waiting 24 and using my HTC. Not falling for the whole "gotta' have the latest Apple product" cycle scenario and need a 5+ inch phone for internet usage.

 

[Akarin]

I don't quite understand this rumor. How would both iPhones size compete? How exactly the 5S cannibalized the 5C? Most people get one iPhone, not two. If they get the 6 "small", they wouldn't anyway get the 6 "large" even if it's released 6 months later. Doesn't make much sense.

 

[proline]

The only really big mistake was the price. You can't sell a plastic phone for more than 600 euros when for "just" euros bucks more you get a very well-done aluminium phone. We all know that all their phones are overpriced (I have a lot of apple devices, I'm not an hater) and this is more evident with 5c.. C stands for Colored, but it should have meant Consumer. If it costed at least 150 euros less then it would have been a good choice for the tons of people that for about 450 euros buy really good Samsung/HTC flagship phones.

But at the sametime, there have been (for sure) a good amount of people that made the step-up from the idea of buying the "more economic" 5C to the idea of buying the really-good-looking 5S, which has also some more features.

PS: I hope that the next release will set 32Gb as the new base for premium phones, because 16Gb are definitely really too low nowadays.

You really don't understand economics, do you? Cutting the price from 600 euros to 450 would almost completely obliterate Apple's profit, and yet many people would STILL have complained about the price even at that rate. Businesses don't run on market share, they run on PROFIT. Figure that out and you'll understand Apple a lot better.

Apple isn't putting on a going out of business sale like Moto or BB and they aren't an advertising company like Google. Hardware profit is NOT something they will throw away.

 

[Paulshaqz]

don't make sense at all only way i see them not releasing both on same day is basically selling the 4.7 inch first then no more then the 2 week range sell the 5.5 inch other wise just sell them at the same time. in my opinion that's what's best for business.

 

[Oohara]

Agreed, they're not competing with themselves here, but with Samsung, LG, and others who make phablets. Why give them more opportunity for sales because you don't want to risk selling less 4.7 models over the 5.5.

The more I think about this, the more insane this is.

Yeah, this is it. There's a ton of Android phones they won't even be competing with until they release the 5.5" version, in particular a certain Samsung flagship that gets released at about the same time...

 

[FieldingMellish]

Separation will save money and time.

Out of several million phones ready to buy, it's to avoid untold tens of thousands of indecisions at the point of sale and all the employee labor that entails.

 

[draugminaion]

The price differential between the two models was only $100 but the 5s gave consumers a lot more "bang for the buck" for that extra $100 so they overwhelming went with that model. That left Apple with a huge inventory of unsold iPhone 5c's and a black eye.

Bulshytt. There was never any "huge inventory of unsold iPhone 5c's".
Apple miss-guessed the ratio of 5s to 5c, so that during the "selling them as fast as they can make them" phase production got some tweaks.

 

[Nee412]

If this is true it is an utterly stupid idea. There's a different market of people who want the 5.5" than those who want the 4.7". For proof just look at the many comments on this site. Some people claim they won't by anything less than a 5.5". Others claim they don't want anything more than 4.7" and the 5.5" is a too big.

I'm personally on the fence at little. I'm part of the unsure group that actually wants to try both models first. I can see myself going for the 4.7" though, if the 5.5" is too big.

What does Apple actually think will happen. Loads of people will by the 4.7", then also buy the 5.5" a few months later. They are in competition, whether Applle likes it or not, because they are both phones.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I don't buy this idea of confusion? I believe everybody already knows what size they want! For me , I would like to see both side by side and make my choice! If they delay the larger screen, that will just make me wait until I can compare both!

You can reject it if you want, but it's a well academically studied psychological phenomena, as well as reported on in the popular press. Steve Jobs acknowledged it when he returned to Apple and said Apple had too many overlapping Mac products and then proceeded to whittle them down to 4.

A few samples:

http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/18936273/towards-conceptual-model-consumer-confusion

http://www.duplication.net.au/ANZMAC09/papers/ANZMAC2009-568.pdf

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repo...e-and-watch-the-money-roll-in/article4435603/

Bulshytt. There was never any "huge inventory of unsold iPhone 5c's".
Apple miss-guessed the ratio of 5s to 5c, so that during the "selling them as fast as they can make them" phase production got some tweaks.

Um.. the only BS is your own. Better check Apple's 1Q report and conf. call. It specifically states the 5C did not sell well and was left with larger inventory than expected.

 

[irnchriz]

Or, there isn't a 5.5" iPhone.

 

[2457282]

All these rumors. They will release a bigger phone; and a bigger one too; in August; in September; in October; at the same time; separately; made of sapphire; no it gorilla glass; it will have more megapixels; no it will have a stabilizer; its round; its square; big ugly bars.

I am sorry, but I can't take it. Each rumor invalidates the last. They don't seem to be coalescing. At best from what I have read is that they will release a phone in September (like the last several years), most likely the 4.7 with rounded edges. Beyond that the rumors continue to go all over the place.

 

[Mic2904]

Its a bit crazy to see people complaining to Apple about these rumors.

Apple has never announced a 5.5" phone and technically not even a 4.7".

People need to seriously chill out here!

Don't understand how Apple does have to answer questions about something they have nothing to do with!

 

[Macist]

This will just slow sales in general. Lots of people probably wanted to compare both in their hand and then choose.

 

[ebouwman]

They should really do this... I know everyone wants the big iphone now but from marketing perspective this will make it look like they have a faster refresh cycle. Twice a year instead of once, so it's like "look we release new phones often!"

The competitors pump out new phones every day it feels like. If apple does this it *looks better. As it is now when we reach the end of the current iphone all the android guys are all like -oh apple hasn't released a new phone in a YEAR where's the innovation-