Apple to Discontinue iPhone 5 Alongside Launch of 5S and Plastic Models?

[oneMadRssn]

And that sounds exactly like the case for the 16GB plastic phone. The base 5S already is going to be the big upsell, better make it worth it.

I think too many other flagship phones coming with 32gb standard (HTC one, lumia 1020 etc) will make them bump the capacities. Not only due to competitors, but also another reason for people to upgrade from the cheap (16gb assumed) iPhone Plastic.

I don't think that a 12mp camera with slow mo video will make owning a 16gb device pleasurable.

I think they will drop the 16gb iPad w/ retina screen too.

Like I said, I hope you guys are right. I'd much rather have 32GB on my base device. I thought it was a rip off to pay $100 to go from 16GB to 32GB; but I've wanted to do it anyway (I didn't in the end).

However, if I was betting money on this, my money would be on 16GB still being the $199 model.

 

[crackbookpro]

Why?

At one point, although in a short-term perspective... Apple's App Store will have a smaller opportunity for downloads due to the 3.5" ratio device not still being run through the sales & manufacturing pipeline. If you break it down with all 3.5" iOS devices, this already actually happened a tad with the iPod Touch going to a 4" display.

This is a minor hiccup in my opinion, that in due time, will be a non-factor, but could have some cons initially to the app store. It's almost like phasing out a product/model per se conceptually, but this time it's phasing out software within software.

Mid to long-term Apple is gooood.

 

[AcesHigh87]

Going to be really annoyed if this is true. I understand the logic on this, it makes absolute perfect sense to run with just the high end and a cheaper plastic model.

However this personally annoys me because I have a rather irritating year left on my HTC contract but was willing to jump to an iPhone early when the new ones are introduced. Problem is I can't afford $200 (plus the cost to get out of my contract) for the newest iPhone and really don't want a cheap feeling plastic phone again. Even if the tech is older I'd rather a metal iPhone 5 than a plastic LC iPhone.

 

[mattopotamus]

Apple isn't going to care which iPhone people buy.

But I doubt professionals and business people, esp. men are going to want fruity colored phones. Kids will, and that is really the market for the low cost phone.

Also if you look at the range of, say, iMacs they go from $1299 to $1999. Consumers understand what they want if there is clear distinction between models. Price isn't the only factor if they can recognize they get more for paying more.

Finally the iPhones have ranged from $0 to $399 (subsidized) for sometime now. So your point really doesn't bear out reality.

I'm sure black and white will be a choice. I think it will hurt the 5S sales massively. People want an iPhone running the latest ios. I'd rather buy an off contract plastic iPhone at $450 than a 5S at $650. Especially when I keep phones 6-8 months.

 

[petsounds]

It also does something else.
It tells consumers that high-end devices are made of metal.
And low-end devices are made of plastic.

Did you forget the 3gs? That iPhone had a plastic back.

 

[aliasfox]

The iPhone 5 body is too expensive to produce. Everyone remembers how Foxconn had to hire extra workers for increased quality control to reduce the scratch/dent issue when it first came out. That was a major blunder and not one Apple is keen to lose margins on. The 5s will keep the same case, but it'll be worth it for a phone that goes for $199 on contract, $649 off.

The internals of the iPhone 5 will move to the plastic midrange iPhone whole hog.

The entry level iPhone will have the internals of the iPod Touch/iPhone 4s (A5 chip, 3G radio) and likely only be available in black and/or white.

All products (iPhone 5s, 5(plastic) and iPod Touch) will likely use the screen hardware on the iPhone 5s because it's being made in quantity.

I'd be surprised if the iPod Classic isn't quietly discontinued by the end of the year (sell-through stock only).

 

[Shearwater]

Not much loyalty for the iPhone5.....wasn't long ago that it was the most innovative extra millimetres that the world had seen!#

 

[gadget123]

Bad news for contracts unless they can use old Iphone 5 stock.

Old flashship iPhones are usually far superior to other handsets in the lower price range.

 

[Autosaver]

To people wondering how Apple with distinguish the new iPhone and the LC iPhone.

They look completely different. If they have two models to buy, it will be even easier to distinguish the two than before.

 

[otismotive77]

does that mean that the lower cost iphone will be selling for the same price as the one-year old discounted iphone.

 

[Rogifan]

I'm sorry but iPhone pro sucks as a name (IMHO). Almost as bad as iPad air. They didn't do it with iPads why would they do it with iPhone?

 

[lars666]

What if.........the 5S and the lower cost iPhone are the same phone and they are still planning on releasing 2 new iPhones in the fall (5S & 6 with better specs and larger screen).

Now that would surely throw everyone for a loop.

The "5S" would have to be better than the current iPhone 5 (at least with a next generation AX chip) and still be the "low-cost" one. The iPhone 6 would have to be even TWO chip generations better. Therefore: Logic destroyed by real world chances.

 

[Rogifan]

Not much loyalty for the iPhone5.....wasn't long ago that it was the most innovative extra millimetres that the world had seen!#

Why do you say that considering the 5S (or whatever they call it) will most likely look just like the 5.

 

[Tankmaze]

I find this BS. Whats the difference between the iphone 5 and 5S screen if they are identical. The in-cell screen would not be the problem, cause they can share these between two devices.

Its just a marketing tactic, and to justify to kill the iphone 5 because apple will introduce 2 new iphone this year.

 

[currentinterest]

iPhone 8 GB $0-$49 or $329-$379 (perhaps only one color)
iPhone 16 GB $99 or $399-$449
Very similar internals to the iPhone 5, LTE

iPhone Pro 16GB $199-$249
FP sensor, improved internals, (perhaps Liquid Metal case)

 

[Mattsasa]

I think more likely:

iPhone 5S 16GB - $199
iPhone 5S 32GB - $299
iPhone 5S 64GB - $399

iPhone 'plastic' 8GB - $0
iPhone 'plastic' 16GB - $99

Bingo! I think.

This makes the most sense to me.

I thought it was gonna be:
8gb plastic -$0
16gb 5- $99
32gb 5s -199

For a while, but now I think you are right.

In this case, the plastic iPhone will have the A6! Yay!

Also the 5S or 7th Gen iPhone I think will start at 32gb

So:
$199/299/399. For 32/64/128

Also: quad core, fingerprint sensor, dual led, etc

 

[sclawis300]

It's refreshing to see Apple apply common sense in this situation. It's time all 30 pin devices are phased out.

really? People complain like crazy when it comes out and you already want to completely dump the 30pin? what difference does it make? They are still going to have to supply 30 pin to replace ones that get damaged that have already been sold.

 

[WilliamLondon]

If Apple can bring a plastic iPhone5-like device to market for less money than it costs to make an iPhone4S - this is a huge win.

The product will sell more, and have higher margins.

It also does something else.
It tells consumers that high-end devices are made of metal.
And low-end devices are made of plastic.

Superficial differences between products (such as product materials) is not how Apple differentiates products, the casing will not be central to what makes these two iPhones different.

Wasn't it *you* that came up with what I think is about the best idea of how these phones might actually differ when you suggested the new lower-priced phone might not have cellular capabilities (as an example), but rather will utilise a data-only SIM and rely on FaceTime, Skype, iMessage and other such services for communication?

That was an inspired idea (you think like a product manager), but this notion that materials will differentiate two products in the same Apple product line ignores the fact that the iPod Shuffle is currently made of anodised aluminium and not plastic.

If that other idea was yours, I think you were spot on. Plastic or metal will not be the major difference between these two iPhones.

 

[flux73]

I'm saying it again: there will only be an iPhone, and an iPhone Pro. Both will have a 4" screen and both will have a fingerprint sensor. Apple will throw the kitchen sink at mobile payments and getting as many people on board with either phone that will be capable of doing it.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I'm sure black and white will be a choice. I think it will hurt the 5S sales massively. People want an iPhone running the latest ios. I'd rather buy an off contract plastic iPhone at $450 than a 5S at $650. Especially when I keep phones 6-8 months.

We haven't seen a black version yet in any of the supposed shell leaks, so if I were betting I'd go no. But regardless, it was Steve Jobs when he returned to Apple that devised the Consumer/Pro product dichotomy where Apple sold one pro desktop and laptop model and one consumer desktop and laptop model. Up until the Mac mini, Apple lived by this. Of course it since diverged as the marketplace became more complex.

But the lower cost/regular iPhone is really Apple going back to this concept. The lower cost iPhone might take away sales from the regular iPhone just like the MacBook took away sales from the MacBook Pro. But the MacBook and MacBook Pro 13" both had markets and both profitable.

So it's really not a matter of the low cost taking sales away from the "regular" iPhone as long as it prevents a sale going to Android. That's really what the low cost is about. Ultimately Apple isn't going to care which Apple product you buy. Steve Jobs said it. Tim Cook recently reiterated it.

 

[sclawis300]

The writing and grammar nerd in me has to wonder whether it's mandatory for all MR writers to use the word "however" at least once in every article. This one scores two, both unnecessary.

there is nothing wrong with 'however'. Although, when you put it in this sentence it doesn't make any sense, however.

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It makes sense, why have your premium phone look exactly the same as your cheaper one? No reason to keep the iphone 5 around anymore. Also the parts thing is BS because the parts are obviously the same between the models and in fact the low cost iphone will likely use exactly the same parts as the iphone 5 just in a cheaper shell so they can differentiate between premium and lower end. The only issue with this approach is that their lower end is still going to be priced way too high and they will likely give it much less powerful internals than the premium model

are are parts not the same thing as internals? I think I am confused by your post.

 

[KPOM]

I still think it's weird that they would make a plastic phone when every other product they make _ that_you_touch_ (or that is a "computer") is aluminium. It's such a departure. I mean it looks like it's going to happen, but... Plastic? Oh well.

Apple has made plastic phones before (most recently the iPhone 3GS).

I'm guessing an 'iPhone Pro' (the 5S) and an 'iPhone' (the iPhone Mini). Or a similar naming structure. I think they might abandon numbering since it's not present anywhere else in their products.

Apple proved with "Mavericks" that their naming scheme is up for revision.

Perhaps. What they might do is put the iPhone 5 internals into the plastic body to sell as the "lower priced" phone and reserve the current iPhone 5 body for the premium phone. That said, a lot of people think that Apple should make a play for the low-end and emerging markets. That might require using iPhone 4 or 4S internals in the plastic body. For all we know they might do that in phones that never see the US or European markets, though historically Apple hasn't done that.

 

[WhiteIphone5]

I wonder what they are going to call the cheap iPhone?


iPhone.

 

[KPOM]

really? People complain like crazy when it comes out and you already want to completely dump the 30pin? what difference does it make? They are still going to have to supply 30 pin to replace ones that get damaged that have already been sold.

But there is no sense adding to the population of devices that use the port. The quicker that every device sold by Apple has the Lightning port, the quicker that it will be adopted in the marketplace.

 

[GoldenJoe]

It would be nice if there was a time limit for developers to adopt the new screen resolutions and once they reach that date their app gets pulled from the app store if they haven't implemented the new resolution. That is a good incentive to keep your apps updated from a developers standpoint.

I don't think this is realistic, but I still like the idea of keeping the app store fit and trim.