Apple's Polycarbonate iPhone with 4.5-Inch Display Arriving for $330 in 2014?

[newdeal]

...

I like the iphone 5 but as usual if the 5S is just those minor upgrades (and of course the usual apple imposed limits on software exclusive to the 5S) it will be pretty disappointing. I just got the 5 and its great but I wonder what Samsung will release when they announce the S4

 

[Skika]

I'd give you list of how many Apple products have been made of plastic but that would take too long.

Implying that its okay for Apple to incorporate something in their future product just because they have done it in the past is not an valid argument.

Just because some approaches to design were okay in the past they dont necessarily make it okay in the future. Things evolve.

 

[iisdan]

How's $330 a cheaper price when you can have a brand new iPhone 5 for $199?

Off contract, it would be free on contract.

$330 compared to $700. But the iPhone 4 is free on contract...

 

[OafTobark]

Finally, the report claims that the iPhone 5S to be launched later this year will adopt a dual-LED flash system for the rear camera. iLounge had previously claimed that the iPhone 5S will include an improved flash, along with an enhanced rear camera sensor and a processor bump.

What a crock of bs. If this really is Apple's plan, they should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[iisdan]

Unfortunately

 

[AppleMad98004]

How's $330 a cheaper price when you can have a brand new iPhone 5 for $199?

Because that is the UNSUBSIDIZED price without a contract. The iPhone 5 is something like 600-700 unsubsidized.

That means closer to $99 or FREE! with a two year contract.

 

[AnorexicPig]

lol at $330 for a unsubsidized "Low Budget Phone", especially if its targeted towards the "3rd world countries". a "low budget smartphone" is something like 99€ which u can buy at the grocery store.

may as well get a iPhone 5S for 1€ on a plan. it'll be cheaper in the long run

low budget - prepaid unsubsidized:
300€ + 24 x 25€ = 930€

high end - contract subsidized:
1€ + 24 x 30€ = 721€

A lot of phones (read millions) costing about 300-400$ are sold in countries like India-Samsung,Sony,BB and Nokia have a lot of phones in this price range-iPhone priced at this level would be a killer given the Apple brand cache.

 

[mdelvecchio]

They were very comfortable to hold though

they were. more so than the slab style. i miss that.

 

[nepalisherpa]

Off contract, it would be free on contract.

$330 compared to $700. But the iPhone 4 is free on contract...

Because that is the UNSUBSIDIZED price without a contract. The iPhone 5 is something like 600-700 unsubsidized.

That means closer to $99 or FREE! with a two year contract.

I missed the "unsubsidized" part in the article. Silly me!

 

[driceman]

How's $330 a cheaper price when you can have a brand new iPhone 5 for $199?

They mean $330 unsubsidized. That $199 iPhone is subsidized by the contract you signed when getting it, so you're basically paying off the full price of the phone (closer to $600-700) over the next couple years. In other countries where they don't subsidize phones, that's not the case.

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I missed the "unsubsidized" part in the article. Silly me!

Oh, someone else said this. Not trying to bombard you!

 

[penajmz]

I don't doubt Apple is working on a "cheaper" iPhone for "emerging markets" but I do find it hard to believe it will have a larger screen compared to the regular iPhone, assuming the "cheaper" iPhone is also going to be for sale in the US.

It just doesn't feel right that Apple (in the US) would make someone who wants to go with a larger screen buy a "cheaper" product to do so. I just don't buy Apple would want their customers to feel that way.

So this story is either completely BS (which I'm inclined to believe) or there's much more to it.

I don't buy $330 either. As we've seen from analysts price predictions on other Apple products, Apple will probably price it $50-100 more.

My thoughts exactly and would suck to have to buy the cheaper product for the bigger screen.

 

[BMcCoy]

Yup, a big cheap phone for all those who keep on bleating about wanting a bigger screen.

And they can keep the quality new products at the current size for the rest of us.

 

[RawBert]

I already have a big cheap Apple phone. My iPad with the Whistle app. It's like 4 bucks a month. WiFi only, though. Fine for my needs.

 

[scat999999]

That just looks like a pic of the back of a 3G.

 

[Rogifan]

So I guess the thought is if it gets reported often it becomes truth? And does using a plastic shell really make the phone that much cheaper to produce?

 

[Tankmaze]

$330 for Unsubsidized is about half price of the unsubsidized iPhone today. Most androids are subsidized by the carriers, so this could theoretically compete very well with them.

Yup i'm sure, but maybe it will be more benefit with other countries where it sell unlocked without contract.

Google already has a $299 phone and it was released in 2012. Imagine what $299 will get you next year from Android.

The $299 device, I assume the nexus 4. that maybe true if you are in the US or north america. but here in singapore it sells for $500, US dollars.

Apple as far as I know like to keep the same price point for all countries adjusted with the currency of course. now if Apple would sell $330 iPhone in the US, and with their tight supply chain I'm quite sure it will sell at the same price point for all countries +- tax, etc.

 

[Rogifan]

That just looks like a pic of the back of a 3G.

It's like the TV rumors that always use a mockup of the Thunderbolt Display.

 

[entatlrg]

2014 too far away for a cheaper iPhone with 4.5" display.

Just an incremental update to a 5S for 2013 is not enough.

2013 / 2014 just may be a rough run for Apple in the smartphone world, if this is all they're doing with their phone lineup.

Times have changed, Apple did too little, soon to be too late, it's a shame. All that money, all those Engineers and this how they're approaching the smartphone market over the next 2 years? Big mistake, imo.

 

[Premium1]

But plastic is junk remember? I mean that is what the apple fanboys claim about the htc/samsung and other plastic android devices.

 

[jgag]

I have a plastic case on my glass and metal iPhone 5, so when this comes out in 2014, I'll just put a glass and metal case on it.
Problem solved!

 

[Frenchjay]

Why don't they just release a great phone and take a hit on profits? Don't tell me Apple couldn't do this. They can make an amazing phone with out any sacrifices and sell it for less. This will benefit Apple and the people buying devices. If Apple are losing customers to cheaper Androids, don't stoop to their level, release an amazing phone for cheap and blow everyone out of the water.

 

[Hakone]

I don't believe their target audience is the US.

 

[entatlrg]

But plastic is junk remember? I mean that is what the apple fanboys claim about the htc/samsung and other plastic android devices.

No need to insult people who enjoy Apple's products. Aluminum is nicer, plastic at half the price will help and at least attract customers with lower budgets. Too bad it's so far away....

 

[definitive]

How does a bigger phone with a cheap screen make more sense than the currently priced phone with a bigger retina screen? Who not release iPhone 5S with a 4" screen for $100-150, and at the same time iPhone 6 with a 5" retina screen for $200-250.

 

[cycomiko]

Because that is the UNSUBSIDIZED price without a contract. The iPhone 5 is something like 600-700 unsubsidized.

That means closer to $99 or FREE! with a two year contract.

Locally an iPhone 5 16GB costs $1049 or you can choose from a range of contracts that can reduce the initial investment to 0$ upfront.