High-Resolution Renderings of Apple's Lower-Cost Plastic iPhone

rmwebs said:
No, the 4S will be discontinued, following the trend we've always seen. So we'll end up with:

High end: 5S (whatever the current top price is)
Mid-range: 5 ($99 on contract)
Low-end: Budget model (Free on contract)

Seriously, this affects the markup, margin or sales in practically no way at all. All they are doing is nocking the oldest generation model on the head and creating a slightly more up to date, but cheaper to make model that is capable of running the latest OS.

The issue they had a few years ago was that the iphone 3 was still being sold as the latest iOS version was going through beta, only to be dropped and not supported when the iOS update came out. By running the budget model on the newer ARM7 architecture (and with a few other speed boosts) it can last longer without an update. IF they kept the 4S as the budget model it'd be almost crippled this time next year, and definitely crippled 24 months down the line.
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I agree with this. I don't think Apple would like to continue selling a device for another year with a 3.5-in screen and they don't want developers having to support it any longer either.
 
Tiger8 said:
With 2 year contract, yes you will!
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but, but, but, I thought this was (supposed to be) aimed at the pre-paid crowd? :D

any-key said:
.....Creating plastic copy of the current phone? Thats so not Apple.
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Maybe they're adapting to the new reality?

AHDuke99 said:
This just feels so wrong to me. Apple is supposed to be in the business of making high end products - not targeting the lower market people.....
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Yeah, there goes our status symbol :D
 
Ironically it looks significantly nicer than the iPhone 5! Ironic because isheep have been calling Samsung for some time for its use of plastic; but I think the S4 is a nice design, whatever materials are used; and I always remind people of the classic iPhone 3 ... until Apple went backwards, gave Jonny Ive more control and we ended up with the bland, antenna useless bastard child of the MacBook that was the iPhone 4 ... and it went downhill from there!

All apple need to do now is make it as thin as the iPod touch, stick in a decent sized screen (ideally 5" to match its nearest rivals), offer wireless charging and SD Card expansion (yeah sure!) and they just might be back to position number one once again! (seeing as ios7 is a blatant copy of Android and Windows mobile 8 (a poor one one, looking like it was designed by a child)... It's getting there).
 
rmwebs said:
Just think of this as an update to the 4S that would normally be going into the 'budget spot' the reasons for not using the 4S:

1 - Still costs more to make than the 3S did, so it makes sense to swap it with a lower cost model that has relatively similar specs
2 - They want to drop the dock connector
3 - It breathes a bit more life into the low-end model with it being new, so people who normally would never be able to afford an iPhone can do so, creating a new customer base.
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The "budget spot" is currently the iPhone 4S which is $450 unlocked or free on-contract.

If this new phone replaces the 4S at the same price... this is not a lower-cost iPhone that everyone keeps talking about.

It wouldn't create a new customer base at all.
 
When you put this together with the new look and colours of iOS7 it kind of makes sense though, doesn't it? Don't know if I like it, but it does make sense.
 
Mr.damien said:
IDK what Apple want to do with those but if it's real, it can be very very dangerous for their traditional market.

If the "low cost" is done with same hadware as iPhone 4/4S or 5 but with less expensive materials, a lot of people in western countries won't like to pay premium price just for aluminium and glass.

They will want to switch on those low cost stuff. And if Apple refuse to sell them, they will probably be upset enough to buy a competitor phone instead.

Apple is playing a dangerous game if this is true.

I find the current line quite enough. They should continue to sell their older model for less money.
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Apple turned its back on its traditional market MANY years ago ... The pro and enthusiast sector, video and music, mac pro's etc. these days all they're concerned about are their shareholders rather than the customers as they once were. Take a look at the iPod nano, ****** ios7 ....... To say Apple is playing a dangerous game makes me laugh ... With competitors beating Apple and Apple doing nothing about it, Apple have been playing with fire for some time!!!

Personally, I think this design (back to the iPhone 3!) beats the iPhone 5 hands down!
 
Michael Scrip said:
The "budget spot" is currently the iPhone 4S which is $450 unlocked or free on-contract.

If this new phone replaces the 4S at the same price... this is not a lower-cost iPhone that everyone keeps talking about.

It wouldn't create a new customer base at all.
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Except it would be a NEW iPhone product at a LOWER COST than the iPhone 5/5S. So, yes, it would be a lower cost iPhone. People can now get a new device for a lower cost instead of a 2 year old device for a lower cost.

It's also quite likely that the price will be lower than the current $450. I wouldn't be surprised to see it go 16gb for $399, 16gb iPhone 5 for $549, and 32gb iPhone 5s at $649 (yes, that's $100 off the current 32gb iPhone 5 price) with the $749/$849 slots for a 64gb/128gb model.

Edit: Although I'm not sure they'd continue the $849 slot. They might just drop it and only have two storage sizes for the 5S. If they want to push cloud storage, iTunes Match, etc., it doesn't make sense to go past 64gb iOS products.
 
For $400 or less unlocked, I will get one for my wife to replace her 3GS. Otherwise, she will have to tansition to a Nexus in the fall. I'm sure she'd rather stick to iOS where she is comfortable, but if Apple refuses to sell a product that meets either of our needs, we will both end up elsewhere.

I left because I wanted unlocked with a larger screen. She would leave because she wants unlocked and doesn't want to spend $650.
 
chadley_chad said:
With competitors beating Apple and Apple doing nothing about it, Apple have been playing with fire for some time!!!
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Apple is currently the #2 smartphone vendor in the world by unit sales... not that it's a contest or anything.

So if 2nd place is so bad... what about the companies in 3rd place or below? Apple isn't the only company getting "beaten" by competitors.

Apple might only get the silver medal... but they still make billions of dollars in the process. And they have great customer satisfaction.

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chrisbru said:
Except it would be a NEW iPhone product at a LOWER COST than the iPhone 5/5S. So, yes, it would be a lower cost iPhone. People can now get a new device for a lower cost instead of a 2 year old device for a lower cost.

It's also quite likely that the price will be lower than the current $450. I wouldn't be surprised to see it go 16gb for $399, 16gb iPhone 5 for $549, and 32gb iPhone 5s at $649 (yes, that's $100 off the current 32gb iPhone 5 price) with the $749/$849 slots for a 64gb/128gb model.

Edit: Although I'm not sure they'd continue the $849 slot. They might just drop it and only have two storage sizes for the 5S. If they want to push cloud storage, iTunes Match, etc., it doesn't make sense to go past 64gb iOS products.
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Yeah... my point was in reference to the "open up new markets" comment from earlier.

That's not gonna happen unless this new phone actually comes in below the current starting price of the iPhone.

$399 would help... but it's not gonna open up that many new markets :)
 
I have a feeling we're going to see a split into iPhone / iPhone Pro lines.

This plastic phone will simply be "iPhone". The upcoming 5S is going to be rebadged "iPhone Pro".

The iPhone will be priced at $399 for 16 GB, with options up to 64 GB. Other than the shell, it will be exactly the same as the iPhone 5.

The iPhone Pro will have the same current aluminum shell, keep the old price starting at $649 with 32 GB, up to 128 GB. The iPhone Pro's price will be justified by an upgraded processor, an improved camera with 2 different LED flashes for different lighting conditions, a fingerprint sensor for mobile payments, and 802.11ac.

That's my guess and I'm sticking to it. For now. :p
 
Michael Scrip said:
$399 would help... but it's not gonna open up that many new markets :)
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I think it will. Don't forget that the 'free' phone now is 3 years old, I think the fact that it is a newer phone does help, it's just human nature, we like new models; phones, cars, clothes, etc.
 
ThatsMeRight said:
I love it. And I am an iPhone 5 owner.
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Same here. Unfortunately, with low cost will probably come limited storage. If there was a 64 gb version of this "low-cost" iPhone, I'd definitely get it.

Funny how there were complainers about Apple only offering black or white iPhones. Now that they have colors, people are complaining about that. I really like the vividness of the proposed color scheme (although a case could easily transform a current iPhone into a similar look). But more than that, I like the smooth rounded contour. It looks much more comfortable to hold.
 
I think all those colours would look better matched to a black faceplate. It is a pity they don't offer any colours on the iPod touch with a black faceplate, so I expect the same will be true of the iPhone.
 
flux73 said:
I have a feeling we're going to see a split into iPhone / iPhone Pro lines.

This plastic phone will simply be "iPhone". The upcoming 5S is going to be rebadged "iPhone Pro".

The iPhone will be priced at $399 for 16 GB, with options up to 64 GB. Other than the shell, it will be exactly the same as the iPhone 5.

The iPhone Pro will have the same current aluminum shell, keep the old price starting at $649 with 32 GB, up to 128 GB. The iPhone Pro's price will be justified by an upgraded processor, an improved camera with 2 different LED flashes for different lighting conditions, a fingerprint sensor for mobile payments, and 802.11ac.

That's my guess and I'm sticking to it. For now. :p
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I'll agree with this line of thought. iPhone/iPhone Pro would be it. iPhone Pro, Mac Pro, Mac Book Pro. Soon to be followed by iPad/iPad Pro. I'm there. :apple:
 
As much as I want to doubt this rumor, all these photos are in sync with what we usually see around a release date, so I'm almost positive we will see a low cost iPhone. I just can't believe apple is really doing this. I can totally see them losing a lot of sales on the premium iPhone.
 
pipa said:
As much as I want to doubt this rumor, all these photos are in sync with what we usually see around a release date, so I'm almost positive we will see a low cost iPhone. I just can't believe apple is really doing this. I can totally see them losing a lot of sales on the premium iPhone.
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Premium iPhone (iPhone Pro?) will have faster processor, upgraded camera, 802.11ac, and fingerprint sensor. Plenty of people will plunk down $250 more for those. I would.
 
Michael Scrip said:
Apple is currently the #2 smartphone vendor in the world by unit sales... not that it's a contest or anything.

So if 2nd place is so bad... what about the companies in 3rd place or below? Apple isn't the only company getting "beaten" by competitors.

Apple might only get the silver medal... but they still make billions of dollars in the process. And they have great customer satisfaction.
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The thing is, it was first, now its slipping further whilst those in 3rd have come from 4th, 5th and beyond! It's not about being number one (that was always the beauty of apple, it wasn't about rankings, it was about the customer!) but with market share slipping and Apple seemingly doing nothing about it (how many iterations of the Galaxy 4S have we seen in recent months, compared to nothing from the Apple camp!), it could be too little too late as the likes of Samsung zoom past (which to be honest, is that really such a bad thing ... the public vote with their wallet!)
 
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