Foxconn's Zhengzhou Factory to Reportedly Cease Production of iPhone 5c

[Max(IT)]

At the time of the 3G and 3GS, plastic was the best apple had to offer in terms of phones.

Since 2010, apple made phones out of metal, glass.

5 years ago the 5C would have been just fine.

But in 2013, the plastic 5C does not live up to Apple's standards.

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They always said they care about quality, materials, rigidity, etc. and now they suddenly release an outdated, expensive, plastic phone. Makes no sense.

Did you ever hold one ?
From your words I strongly think not ...

There is quality, materials and rigidity in iPhone 5c, and there is nothing "outdated" in it. We aren't in the Android league: you don't need a quad core 3ghz with 3 Gb of ram just to have a decent os running ....

 

[haydn!]

Instead of reducing 5C production, how about use the facility to pump up 5S stocks?

Good to see you read the article before commenting…. The first line states just that.

 

[Tiger8]

I think they literally had physical limitations with the 5S, in that the Touch ID sensors were hard to produce or that a lot of them came out with defects and had to be rejected. There were probably only a few manufacturers who were skilled enough to take on the production of the 5S.

I think they know that the priority is the 5S, and that they really are trying to make as many of them as possible, but that, unless they want to release "touchgate", they simply can't produce enough of them to meet the demand.

That I agree with you on, but as far as 5c is concerned, I'm sure they won't advertise it, but they were probably half-hoping that the numbers will be better than that. It isn't a failure by any means, but definitely not the runway success iPhone 5s is

 

[RebornProphet]

A lot of people seem to be reacting to this news as if Apple are no longer making the iPhone 5c or have discontinued it.

They have the inventory they need to see them through the holidays and are moving focus onto ramping up 5s inventory. If the 5c begins to sell more units then I'm sure Apple will just as quickly move some more resource back onto manufacturing the 5c.

This is hardly a death knell for the 5c.

 

[KdParker]

Well that's news. Cheaper plastic iPhone that's not really cheaper in any significant way does not sell as well as flagship model.

Plus you can get the basically the same phone by simply getting the iPhone 5.

 

[Icaras]

And why it's always become a sensitive topic for you?
Everytime some negative news about 5C you always come and try so hard to save the day? What's the deal here exactly?

Even your signature says it all?

Point is Apple has surplus 5C stocks in stores they have to cease productions.
So the choice here is simple; Apple ordered too many, or the demand is too low.
Either way it doesn't look good.

He has a point as well. If this year's $100 model (5C) is selling greater than last year's $100 model (4S), then that's all that matters and means Apple has succeeded with their intentions with 5C. And even more so when you factor in the higher margins.

The point here is not to be carried away by comparing sales data between the 5C to the 5S. It's to compare the 5c this year with the 4S sales from last year. No matter what kind of letter Apple marketing wants to tag after the model number, it's still last year's model. People keep forgetting this.

 

[clibinarius]

Apple never said it was going to be low cost. Lots and lots of rumors did. It's funny to see how history changes perception in time.

Apple could've squashed the rumors if they weren't so secretive.

I still say the 5C will do better after the New Year. I know people with the 5C, though I didn't understand the purchase. When iPhone demand becomes tepid, it'll make sense. But I don't think it is a good product anyway.

 

[Max(IT)]

Plus you can get the basically the same phone by simply getting the iPhone 5.

Except there is no iPhone 5 in any Apple store so you can't ....

 

[ikev85]

Maybe I'm an outlier here but...

I pre-ordered a 5c, blue, 32gb unlocked. I'm completely happy with it. Well, I wish the blue were a hair darker like the Smart Cover of the new iPad Air.

I don't do video editing on my phone, I don't need 60fps in the latest 3d games on a super small phone screen. I usually keep the latest iPad if I want that stuff anyway.

The 5c is super fast for me (iOS 7 issues non withstanding). I like the feel of the casing and don't feel the need to use a case.

I wish it had a 64gb option yes, but I can make due with 32gb.

Not super thrilled with the unlocked pricing, but also the $100 difference between it and the 5s is ~3 months of cell phone payments for me (T-Mobile $30/100min/unlimited data) as I'll never be on a phone contract.

At the end of the day... to each their own. I bought a 5c and am perfectly happy with it, it fulfills my phone needs and then some. I had a black 5 with a previous job and it was nothing but nicks and scratches.

 

[mdelvecchio]

The 5c should have had a lower price point and the lack of sales is indicating that Apple misread the situation

so wait -- youre part of the executive team and know the per-model retail sales numbers? wow! can you go over them in detail for us?

er no. you arent. and you dont. hate to break it to ya pal, but the 5c is the same thing apple has done since 2008 -- sell last-year's phone as this-year's second-tier, for $100 cheaper. has. not. changed.

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Well that's news. Cheaper plastic iPhone that's not really cheaper in any significant way does not sell as well as flagship model.

it's $100 cheaper. just as every year before, apple is selling last-year's phone (5) in the second-tier spot with a $100 discount.

not sure why people dont get this.

 

[Max(IT)]

Maybe I'm an outlier here but...

I pre-ordered a 5c, blue, 32gb unlocked. I'm completely happy with it. Well, I wish the blue were a hair darker like the Smart Cover of the new iPad Air.

I don't do video editing on my phone, I don't need 60fps in the latest 3d games on a super small phone screen. I usually keep the latest iPad if I want that stuff anyway.

The 5c is super fast for me (iOS 7 issues non withstanding). I like the feel of the casing and don't feel the need to use a case.

I wish it had a 64gb option yes, but I can make due with 32gb.

Not super thrilled with the unlocked pricing, but also the $100 difference between it and the 5s is ~3 months of cell phone payments for me (T-Mobile $30/100min/unlimited data) as I'll never be on a phone contract.

At the end of the day... to each their own. I bought a 5c and am perfectly happy with it, it fulfills my phone needs and then some. I had a black 5 with a previous job and it was nothing but nicks and scratches.

Actually I don't know a single iPhone 5c owner that isn't satisfied with his phone.

 

[mdelvecchio]

Ax the 4s, make the 5c your free phone.

Problem solved.

that wont happen until next year. as always, last-year's phone is bumped down annually. thus the 5 is now the second-tier discounted spot (renamed 5c, due to the color). next year, the 5 will eliminate the 4S.

aint rocket science. same thing every year.

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I'd rather they just focused on the one model, but kept selling the previous one at a much cheaper price like in the past.

Maybe this is an indicator they'll switch back to that model.

thats exactly what they *are* doing. the 5c is last-year's phone (in a color case), sold in the second-tier spot at a $100 discount. same thing theyve always been doing.

why the confusion?

 

[Max(IT)]

that wont happen until next year. as always, last-year's phone is bumped down annually. thus the 5 is now the second-tier discounted spot (renamed 5c, due to the color). next year, the 5 will eliminate the 4S.

aint rocket science. same thing every year.

I'm not sure, but I think the iPhone 5c will eliminate 4s next year ... I don't think we are gonna see any iPhone 5 on the market.

 

[mdelvecchio]

Why buy a 5C when you can pick and equally good or even better (in some cases ) Nexus 5 for significantly cheaper.

complete lack of iTunes support. compatibility issues with iOS apps. slower touch response.

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I'm not sure, but I think the iPhone 5c will eliminate 4s next year ... I don't think we are gonna see any iPhone 5 on the market.

im not referring to the "5" body design. im referring to the core tech -- 5c is the 5, but in a new case. thus next year, the 5 (c) will replace the 4S.

 

[Icaras]

so wait -- youre part of the executive team and know the per-model retail sales numbers? wow! can you go over them in detail for us?

er no. you arent. and you dont. hate to break it to ya pal, but the 5c is the same thing apple has done since 2008 -- sell last-year's phone as this-year's second-tier, for $100 cheaper. has. not. changed.

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it's $100 cheaper. just as every year before, apple is selling last-year's phone (5) in the second-tier spot with a $100 discount.

not sure why people dont get this.

Exactly. Actually I think this confusion amongst avid tech readers like here at MR is proof that Apple's marketing in altering perception for last year's model with rebranding and redesigning has worked perfectly. These folks will continue to argue about failure without realizing its......still last year's model.

Meanwhile, the 5c has quite possibly outpaced the 4S in sales with casual audiences by now and while also selling at higher margins. If this is the case, I really don't see how it isn't a success.

 

[mdelvecchio]

In all honestness, I think Apple made a mistake with the 5C.

Their philosophy is to make the best product, and the 5C simply didn't fit into Apple's design philosophy.

what on earth? since 2008, apple has always sold the last-year's phone in the discounted #2 spot. how is it any different today? the 5 got a new case and was renamed to the 5c, but still occupies the #2 spot at a $100 discount, just as theyve done every year in the past.

what's changed here? what is confusing everyone? the new case? >slap forehead<. same core phone. theyre leveraging the build investment for a second year...possibly a third year if it replaces the 4S next year.

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The 5C was a great mistake at only a $100 difference. It would have sold so much at greater difference.

More over, I feel Apple misread the markets and thought the 5C was going to attract more people. I knew the 5C was going to sell, but not as good as the latest and greatest.

so is it a "great mistake", or is it a success since it's selling? remember: it's last-year's phone, in the #2 spot. just as apple has done annually since 2008.

looks like success to me. and i wouldnt be surprised if it takes over the #3 spot next year (currently the 4S), while the 5s goes to #2, and the 6 to #1.

 

[daneoni]

complete lack of iTunes support. compatibility issues with iOS apps. slower touch response.

iTunes stopped being a unique selling point at about version 4.0. All it is now is an obese elephant. Slow and frustrating to manoeuvre.

If you want music Amazon is readily available with a universal format. Spotify isn't far behind either and there's Google Music...

Slower touch response is highly esoteric, and I'd wager that only geeks care about it. It's a 2013 capacitive touch screen its definitely not terrible.

The App Store gap isn't as wide as it used to be either.

 

[Speedy2]

That isn't what people are doing, they are buying a 5S which costs more. I really don't see how this is a bad thing for Apple.

Even better for Apple would be people buying 5S AND 5Cs in masses (instead of buying tons of Android phones). I'm sure that was the plan and that plan failed miserably. Why else would they have so many 5Cs in stock? Apple always tries to produce just enough to meet demand, but not more than that.

 

[Max(IT)]

iTunes stopped being a unique selling point at about version 4.0. All it is now is an obese elephant. Slow and frustrating to manoeuvre.

If you want music Amazon is readily available with a universal format. Spotify isn't far behind either and there's Google Music...

Slower touch response is highly esoteric, and I'd wager that only geeks care about it. It's a 2013 capacitive touch screen its definitely not terrible.

The App Store gap isn't as wide as it used to be either.

Opinions ....

I'm not the biggest fan of iTunes, but I can't see anything comparable especially if you have a Mac.
Amazon ... Spotify ... Google Music (bleargh ....) they aren't so integrated with my apple environment.

App Store is way better than Play Store in my opinion.

Opinions ...

They could sell nexus 7 at 150$ if they want: I'm still going to buy an iPhone.

 

[Speedy2]

So how many people go to a store, check out the 5C, and then figure out that for only $100 more they get a much nicer phone? If the customer looks at the 5C and then changes to buy the 5S, the 5C has done what it should do.

Usually that's what Apple's competition should be for, at least for Apple's point of view. Take a Samsung phone, look at it and decide to spend a bit more for a much nicer (i)phone.

To build an inferior product just to make your flagship model shine is beyond foolish, and I'm extremely sure that was never the purpose of the 5C.

 

[BruceEBonus]

Go Moto G!

Let's get a bit of smartphone price competition back into the market!

 

[Icaras]

iTunes stopped being a unique selling point at about version 4.0. All it is now is an obese elephant. Slow and frustrating to manoeuvre.

If you want music Amazon is readily available with a universal format. Spotify isn't far behind either and there's Google Music...

Slower touch response is highly esoteric, and I'd wager that only geeks care about it. It's a 2013 capacitive touch screen its definitely not terrible.

The App Store gap isn't as wide as it used to be either.

Not to me. I've been purchasing music for years on iTunes but it has become the only place for all my movies and TV shows when Apple introduced movies in iCloud sometime in 2011. I love shopping on iTunes.

Oh and I love iTunes Radio too

 

[SpectatorHere]

Every 5c story leads to tons of people psychoanalyzing Apple marketing. They made it to get into China, they clearly did it to make the 5s more attractive, no...it was obviously to increase the profit per phone, etc., etc.

The honest truth is that no one knows why the 5c was brought to market. We can't even say if it's successful or not because it may exist simply to sell more 5s phones. We know Tim Cook has told us it was never intended to be a cheap phone or an entry into China...but that's sure what industry analysts believed it to be.

I thought they might sell like hotcakes. I felt (and still think) the 5s is an uglier version of the 5, which was pretty boring and unexciting itself, even at launch over a year ago. With no obvious improvement over last year's model, the 5s seemed pretty uninspiring, so the colorful 5c appeared to be a nice alternative for less money. Turns out I was wrong about what people wanted, but there is still no way to know what Apple intended with the 5c.

 

[Speedy2]

what on earth? since 2008, apple has always sold the last-year's phone in the discounted #2 spot. how is it any different today?

The difference is that today you have a wildly successful competition. The old strategies don't anymore. Apple saw that (too late) and reacted (poorly).

 

[osx11]

"what on earth? since 2008, apple has always sold the last-year's phone in the discounted #2 spot. how is it any different today?"

You just answered your own question. If they simply sold THE iPhone 5 alongside the iPhone 5S, people would actually buy the 5. But the 5C, even though it's on par with the 5 in terms of hardware, simply is not up to Apple's design philosophy. Apple spent years trying to convince people the beauty of aluminum, unibody, simplistic....etc. The plastic crap/5C goes against all that. I don't see why people don't understand this.

Macbook Air: Aluminum
Macbook Pro: Aluminum
iPad Mini: Aluminum
iPad Air: Aluminum
iMac: Aluminum
Mac Mini: Aluminum
Mac Pro: Aluminum
iPod Touch: Aluminum
iPod Nano: Aluminum
iPod Shuffle: Aluminum
iPhone 5: Aluminum
iPhone 5S: Aluminum
iPhone 5C: Polycarbonate? WTF