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

[unobtainium]

The problem with that is, going with the current trend, by 2014 Android phones will be pushing 7-8".

I think they'll eventually hit a point where consumers will be turned off. 5" is probably the absolute maximum for a mainstream phone...maybe even 4.5". The average person is not a Fandroid clamouring for moar screen -- people actually have pockets and hands to think about.

ETA: If anything, Google Glass and the rumoured iWatch will help spur the trend toward even smaller devices. Why would people want to carry around giant slabs of plastic in their pants? (insert joke here, I'm too lazy)

 

[sebastian...]

And why would a budget phone have a bigger screen?

Because I and probably others would like a premium fast and small phone, while all the teenagers who want to play games all day - can have their cheap and giant phone.

 

[topper24hours]

Hate to burst your bubble, the iphone does not cost $650, I think macrumors posted breakdown of then new 4s and it was $180

Lol, the iPhone definitely costs consumers $650 retal (please see store.apple.com). Unless you think Apple just suddenly is going to start selling phones at their cost to manufacture. I'm pretty sure you do not have a point. Please consider my bubble unburst.

 

[h&p]

no LiquidMetal rumors????? :-(

 

[Dwalls90]

Lol, the iPhone definitely costs consumers $650 retal (please see store.apple.com). Unless you think Apple just suddenly is going to start selling phones at their cost to manufacture. I'm pretty sure you do not have a point. Please consider my bubble unburst.

Component cost are around $200, but this does not include overhead or research and development.

 

[Cubytus]

There's not $450 worth of R&D in each iPhone. It's not a device that allows you to communicate with the outerspace, for example. It is just a phone, very nicely integrated, but a phone nonetheless.

I made the calculation in the past, an iPhone and a comparable iPhod Touch (same specs, minus cellular radio) have ~+100% price difference. This is NOT the radio cost, NOT the R&D cost.

All included the iPhone 5 is $800 retail (has no iPod Touch specs match, though).

 

[lucasfer899]

Because I and probably others would like a premium fast and small phone, while all the teenagers who want to play games all day - can have their cheap and giant phone.

I'm a teenager, all my friends are, we all use our smartphones (80% iPhone) for probably most of our day, playing games, and instant messaging, however none of us like the thought of a display any bigger than around 4.3". I personally favor the screen of iPhone 5, sure I used to like huge phones, but not anymore.

 

[Tiger8]

Lol, the iPhone definitely costs consumers $650 retal (please see store.apple.com). Unless you think Apple just suddenly is going to start selling phones at their cost to manufacture. I'm pretty sure you do not have a point. Please consider my bubble unburst.

Read your original post, you obviously don't know the difference between cost and retail. You asked for a cost breakdown of the iphone showing that the case costs $300 out of the $650, indicating the the iphone costs $650 to make, which is not true.

 

[rccarnut]

I think this might be a great idea for Apple. Not only in emerging markets but for the US as well. How many parents would rather give there teens a less expensive iPhone. Still have the same function as mom and dad but cost much less. I wouldn't buy my Son the current iPhone because of cost to replace especially if it was lost, broken, etc. I'd definitely lean more toward getting him the iPhone rather than the basic cheapest smart phone I could find for the $330.00 price tag..

 

[Premium1]

I think this might be a great idea for Apple. Not only in emerging markets but for the US as well. How many parents would rather give there teens a less expensive iPhone. Still have the same function as mom and dad but cost much less. I wouldn't buy my Son the current iPhone because of cost to replace especially if it was lost, broken, etc. I'd definitely lean more toward getting him the iPhone rather than the basic cheapest smart phone I could find for the $330.00 price tag..

Except most parents aren't spending 300 on a smart phone for their kids. They will go with the free smart phones so in case something happens they aren't out much. Plus they can get the 4 for free in e US so pretty much nobody is going to buy a lesser iPhone for more

 

[kdarling]

• The iPhone 5 costs about $300 in parts and IP, and sells for $650.
  
• The iPhone 4S costs about $200 in parts and IP, and sells for $550.
  
• The iPad mini costs about $190 to build, and sells for $330.
  
• They all have similar other costs (R&D, sales, admin, taxes).

Knowing the iPad mini situation, there's apparently monetary room to also sell an iPhone 4S like device for ~$330, especially with a plastic case that's easier to assemble.

The question is, is Apple willing to take a big profit hit, in exchange for preventing much of the world from going Android?

(They could lock such a phone to carriers in developing countries or China, to prevent them from coming back to the EU, JP, ANZUS and North American markets.)

 

[Vegastouch]

$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.

Yes but it still isnt unlocked like the Nexus 4 is and,........ GASP........It has a cheap plastic body that so many here said they dont like .

The Nexus 4 has the all glass body, which im not a fan of myself but many here thought it was the bomb on the iPhone.

 

[Virinprew]

Geeeeez. You need to relax man. I was not serious when I said that. It is similar to "Safari seems snappier" MacRumors joke.

That is how it works. You go fishing. You catch a fish.

 

[PinoyAko]

That is how it works. You go fishing. You catch a fish.

Where can I find that rule? Can you show me so that I will be "informed"?

 

[Virinprew]

Where can I find that rule? Can you show me so that I will be "informed"?

You win. Let's move on.

 

[Cubytus]

The question is, is Apple willing to take a big profit hit, in exchange for preventing much of the world from going Android?

(They could lock such a phone to carriers in developing countries or China, to prevent them from coming back to the EU, JP, ANZUS and North American markets.)

I may see a link where there's none, but making about 266% in raw profit (Street unsibsidized price / BoM) on each iPhone 5 sold may be too much, even for Apple. Fed up, some customers and carriers alike may prefer to bite the bullet and push a top notch Android device that would do almost everything an iPhone can do without having to pay that indecent amount.

Locking such a lower-cost iPhone to developping countries doesn't seem very Apple-like. However if they did, sure there will be a gray market. Apple being what it is, though, if they did actually release such phone on, say, the Chinese market, they will surely install some serious software lock to prevent installation of a localized iOS, or prevent any connection to any other provider than China's ones. Just look at the time it takes for even a very dedicated and motivated team to find exploitable flaws to unlock iOS.

 

[redhawk87]

The last report I saw had Samsung at 28% of the smartphone market... and Apple at 20%

Samsung's lead isn't as much as you think.

And... when you consider that Samsung only sold 15 million of their flagship Galaxy SIII out of their 63 million total smartphone last quarter... it appears that Samsung sells way more junk phones.

Even if you add sales of the Galaxy Note II and the older Galaxy SII... that's still less than 1/3 of Samsung's smartphones being their "good" phones

Yes but samsung's growth is stronger than Apple's. lately Apple has been selling less iPhones than analysts have predicted, meaning they are starting to slow down. There was a time I think last year when for a couple months, the S3 was the number 1 selling phone in America. I am not saying Samsung is just blowing apple out of the water but Samsung is starting to give apple a run for its money and its starting to show a little in apples shipment numbers.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Yes but samsung's growth is stronger than Apple's. lately Apple has been selling less iPhones than analysts have predicted, meaning they are starting to slow down. There was a time I think last year when for a couple months, the S3 was the number 1 selling phone in America. I am not saying Samsung is just blowing apple out of the water but Samsung is starting to give apple a run for its money and its starting to show a little in apples shipment numbers.

So what happens when Samsung is the #1 smartphone vendor in the world... and Apple is the #2 smartphone vendor?

Oops... that's already happened.

Where did this "first place or no place" idea come from?

Every couple months I see the headline "Samsung beats Apple" for a certain device in a certain market for a certain timeframe.

And then next month Apple gets a similar headline. It seems to flip-flop back and forth.

But won't both companies be around for a LONG time? Will Samsung snuff out ALL electronics manufacturers?

Apple has this crazy ability to make billions of dollars while not even being in the top spot. Isn't that remarkable? Plus they have customer satisfaction, happy developers, accessory makers, and all sorts of other bonuses too.

What's the point of being in first place if the runner-up gets all the prizes?

Apple.... the plucky little underdog who turns a silver medal into actual gold