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High-Quality Video and Photos Reveal What Apple's Plastic iPhone Will Look Like

Disaster

Apple derided the chassis of Nexus 7 last October during the iPad Mini introduction. Hence I never believed the validity of the rumors when I heard them for the first time.

That is just an irony! :eek:
 
Risco said:
The big question is, how big are the margins and will how much will it eat in to iPhone 5 / 5S sales.
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I don't think it will eat into iPhone 5/5S sales very much, if at all, and the reason is that Apple is very, very good at product strategy, product differentiation and product positioning. This will sell into a market that wouldn't buy an iPhone 5, and I don't think the marketing tag line will be, "like the iPhone 5, but cheaper."

If it's functionally similar (same sized screen, retina display, running latest iOS, it will be functionally similar) it would take sales away from people buying the iPhone 5 who don't want to pay the price, and that's not what they will do - they are smart enough to realise this. This phone will not be like the iPhone 5, it will be different enough to warrant being a new member of the iPhone family, but not considered just a cheaper iPhone with similar functionality.

As someone else on here suggested many months ago (which I still think is the best idea about what it'll be that I've come across) is that it'll be a phone without cellular calling capabilities. It'll be more like an iPod Touch that accepts a data-only SIM, you'll use FaceTime, iMessage, Skype, and others, but normal cellular functionality will not be enabled.

A cheaper iPhone will eat into iPhone sales, pure and simple, so it won't be just a cheaper iPhone, it'll be something very different. Can't wait to see the reveal.
 
I think it looks good whether it's a high end phone or cheaper one.

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WilliamLondon said:
A cheaper iPhone will eat into iPhone sales, pure and simple, so it won't be just a cheaper iPhone, it'll be something very different. Can't wait to see the reveal.
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That really depends. If it's sold where iPhones are sold - then yes. But not anymore than earlier model iPhones eat into sales of newer models. And ultimately - as Apple (and Steve Jobs) has said in the past - you'd still rather cannibalize your own sales then someone else doing it?

But I think this phone will be released in areas where iPhones aren't "selling" and therefor is meant to grab more customers that wouldn't have bought an iPhone to begin with.
 
Basic Bear
$199
First Run ships on July 31, 2013.
Inspired by the next iPhone.
Capable of using protective accessories made for the next iPhone.
(e.g. cases, covers, screen guard, bluetooth keyboard)
First Run limited quantity. First come first serve basis.
Free reservation. No payment required.

So it's finally come to this? They are now releasing copycat phones before Apple even releases the original? :eek: Talk about the cart before the horse. :rolleyes:
 
I like the plastic iPhones. I think they are nice. But, no black plastic iPhone? So far none have been pictured. If there was a black one, that's the one I would get and never look back. Well played Apple if that is the case. Make those of us turned off by candy colored iPhones buy the premium one. Well played indeed.
 
samcraig said:
That really depends. If it's sold where iPhones are sold - then yes. But not anymore than earlier model iPhones eat into sales of newer models. And ultimately - as Apple (and Steve Jobs) has said in the past - you'd still rather cannibalize your own sales then someone else doing it?

But I think this phone will be released in areas where iPhones aren't "selling" and therefor is meant to grab more customers that wouldn't have bought an iPhone to begin with.
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I'm not sure where those places are that iPhones aren't selling. It's not going to be a country based product, I would bet quite a lot of money on that. It doesn't make any sense to me that Apple would start putting money into producing products for countries where the US isn't the number one market. So, where aren't these phones selling? Certain carriers in the US? That's a contractual problem I can't imagine a new product would suddenly fix.

Here in the UK you can buy an iPhone and it'll work on any carrier you wish (as long as it's not locked to a certain carrier, but unlocked phones are quite popular), so in this market, Apple wouldn't offer the phone because to sell it here would be to sell two phones to the same people, one just cheaper - that's not going to happen. Same in other countries. Emerging markets? That makes no sense for Apple to suddenly start putting effort of limited resources into products outside the US - Apple only produces a few products, and to use their few resources to make a product for not the US is illogical, and that smacks more of profit grubbing than building great products that people love - and that's not Apple.

I think a lot of people will be quite surprised, one way or the other, assuming this rumoured product is an actual product that Apple releases - very excited to see what it is.
 
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Good price point / No shame

The lower end iPhone is a great idea. It is like the Mac Mini for smartphones. A good basic device for most people, it lets you run existing apps and a gateway to the higher prices iOS devices. Love to see an iPod touch below $200 like this sans the carrier contract.

Concerning this Basic Bear, I wonder how many NDAs and confidentiality agreements were broken to get this out. Cloning an iPhone design is nothing new but this is the first time I have seen someone rip off the Lightning connector. With all the security in the Lighting active parts, would they even start up with this clone? Also, since they ported the vanilla Android Jelly Bean release, are there any drivers to connect with Lightning accessories?

If Apple isn't able to keep the Basic Bear from happening, love to see the Accessory outfits deluged with support calls about their device not working with this and asking for Android apps to support it.
 
lollicup04 said:
revolutionary.....
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So is your comment....

I think this might be quite popular, the plastic shell is good for people with a lower income as it is cheaper to replace it if it breaks. I don't think anyone expected this phone to offer a groundbreaking new design or features that the higher priced ones don't have.
 
chadley_chad said:
Love it ... all the iPhone sheep call the Galaxy for using a plastic back; but as soon as Apple use one, it becomes high quality and acceptable!
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You really don't understand. Apple fans don't speak with one voice. When you hear one Apple fan saying one thing, and then later hear another saying something else, why do you think the two people are the same?

Is it your experience that you must agree with everyone on everything? That's the only explanation I can think of for you loving to hear two different people who like Apple saying different things at different times.
 
ThomasJL said:
One very good thing about this plastic design is that the user will not have to subject himself to the potential dangers of touching a bare metal antenna. The only way to accomplish this on an iPhone 4/4S/5 is to buy a case which adds bulk. For those who want to avoid the potential dangers of touching a bare metal antenna but don't like cases, this new plastic iPhone design is good.
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There is no bare metal antenna on the iPhone 5. They use the standard type behind the glass portions on the back.

This looks awful. At least the metal looked kind of cool as it scuffed and aged. This will look abysmal.
 
If this is it... Well, need to see it to believe it, but so far it is unlikely to replace or complement my current iphones nor my nexus 4...
 
Back To The Future!

When you've run out of ideas ... Plasticise it!

When Emperor Apple parades before ite subjects in his new plastic clothes, a child cries out, "But he isn't innovating anymore"

The fanboys play along with the pretence not wanting to appear disloyal or stupid.

The Emperor cringes, suspecting the assertion is true, but continues the procession into oblivion.....

Wake Up Apple ... Lightning Connectors. Flat Operating Systems. Cut down versions of the once-ground-breaking products and dustbin shaped Mac Pros is NOT what Steve would've wanted. Or the general public for that matter.

Innovate Or Die ...

And on that cheery note, readers .....:confused:
 
This cheaper iphone will likely outsell the iphone 5S, which is what Apple wants, especially with the vast amount of untapped consumers in China, India and South America. In fact, it probably will become more popular than the 5S in the US, simply because of the price. Just like the ipad mini is killing the ipad in sales, even though it is of lower quality.
 
BruceEBonus said:
Back To The Future!

When you've run out of ideas ... Plasticise it!

When Emperor Apple parades before ite subjects in his new plastic clothes, a child cries out, "But he isn't innovating anymore"

The fanboys play along with the pretence not wanting to appear disloyal or stupid.

The Emperor cringes, suspecting the assertion is true, but continues the procession into oblivion.....

Wake Up Apple ... Lightning Connectors. Flat Operating Systems. Cut down versions of the once-ground-breaking products and dustbin shaped Mac Pros is NOT what Steve would've wanted. Or the general public for that matter.

Innovate Or Die ...

And on that cheery note, readers .....:confused:
Click to expand...

Do you remember the initial reception of the iPad. It was ridiculed in every possible way. Its name, its functionality people called it an iphone on steroids. What's the point of it? People asked. Then it came out and people actually started using it. And it sold millions in just a few months. Let's reserve judgment for when these products are officially released and we get a chance to use them.
 
BruceEBonus said:
Wake Up Apple ... Lightning Connectors.
Click to expand...

The Lightning connector is awesome and it's such an obvious improvement over the old connector or micro-USB that one keeps wondering why all the other connectors have to be inserted in a certain orientation.
 
BruceEBonus said:
Back To The Future!

When you've run out of ideas ... Plasticise it!
Click to expand...

Plastic unfortunately connotes "cheap", but I think that there are design and engineering choices that can justify its use.

Plastic will usually deform and spring back rather than shatter or dent permanently. Some types of plastic have excellent abrasion and scratch resistance. I personally do not mind a product that is plastic, so long as it is well made and durable.
 
just another dirty trick by apple to make more money, i wonder will they be able to make people fool again to buy this stupid device.
 
The cheaper iphone will become the most sold smartphone ever worldwide. Without a doubt.
 
beaniemyman said:
just another dirty trick by apple to make more money, i wonder will they be able to make people fool again to buy this stupid device.
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This device will be sold for 450$ instead of the iPhone 4S - the "dirty trick" will be that people will get the much better 4" (not because of size but because of picture quality) screen for 'free'.
 
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