iPhone 5c Launch Day Supplies Generally Holding Up Well as Pre-Orders Begin

[mattjackbrown]

What is the deal with everyone's worry with finger prints. Does everyone walk around with gloves on all day for fear of people following behind to steal them. Also I am not sure about other states but in georgia if you have a drivers license they take your prints when you get your license.

Sorry just my rant. Saw some people on page one talking about fingerprint scanner issues. Annoying.

 

[tripmusic]

Make that money, Apple! Tim is a numbers guy. I think after MANY launches, they shouldn't be experiencing shortages. Learn from your mistakes.

Let's hope so, if only because it makes them look sloppy and not capable

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They look great, will sell well and the haters know it. Why? Because some people enjoy quality

 

[AppleMark]

That's minimum... you spin figures more than Apple do. Will people on minimum wage in the West be buying iPhone 5S and 5Cs - I highly doubt it.

2 seconds in Google showed me this - http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-07/06/content_15555503.htm

2011 average in Beijing was 4,672元 or 730$ or 460£ - it's likely gone up further since.

As someone who lives in China majority of the year, I facepalm every time I read a post claiming how poor Chinese are - the middle make up an enormous part of the population, and they are the ones earning average and above wages. They also have more disposable income due to cheaper living costs overall.

If you actually bothered to read my post, you would clearly see that I stated "Average monthly minimum wages". Indeed there are those who earn more, equally there are those who earn much, much less. However, my post was in relation to Apple selling to the masses with a 'so called' cheaper phone to convert Xiaomi customers. Therefore, the average minimum was a more credible comparison than a direct average (as you have given), as it is misleading and does not give a proper account of actual (real) people able to afford a phone.

Also, you are not the only person who has been to China and Hong Kong... And yes, I am sorry, but the fact is that standard of living is higher in Hong Kong, which my post was relating to, in terms of why perhaps the HK Apple site was showing that sales were met and were not elsewhere.

It was a better conclusion than your post, which simply stated the reason for sales figure being high, was because of "Scalpers", which I think is implausible given the facts.

And yes, there are many people on minimum wages in the UK who own an iPhone. 2-year contracts and basic monthly tariff's which allow this.

 

[Solomani]

+1.. no demands for the 5C... what a waste of R&D.
Generally..... most people want the latest and the greatest!

The 5C could have been a best-seller as a second-tier phone if Apple had nailed the optimal price-point.... in other words, it could have been the spiritual successor to the iPhone 4/4S. Unfortunately, it seems like they priced it a bit too high.

The 5S, on the other hand, might do very well. The main problem may simply be they can't produce it fast enough to meet initial demand. A temporary problem for the first couple of months.

 

[peterdevries]

Make that money, Apple! Tim is a numbers guy. I think after MANY launches, they shouldn't be experiencing shortages. Learn from your mistakes.

They are not mistakes.

Production has only recently started and the global production capacity of smartphones is pretty much exhausted. How do I know this? Look at the number of different producers Apple has to contract: Pegatron, Foxconn etc. It's costly to maintain multiple contracts. If any producer could cover all production, than it would be smart for Apple to contract only one, also for the sake of confidentiality and secrecy.

In addition the staggered release in countries suggests that supply is restricted. Otherwise Apple would release the iPhone everywhere immediately.

Apple cannot just (let) build a few extra smartphone factories when they need them. In addition, Apple is not able to just let millions of smartphones appear out of thin air on launch day. These are not mistakes, but very complicated and massive launches.

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The 5C could have been a best-seller as a second-tier phone if Apple had nailed the optimal price-point.... in other words, it could have been the spiritual successor to the iPhone 4/4S. Unfortunately, it seems like they priced it a bit too high.

The thing isn't even on the market yet. how are you able to evaluate the success of the product at this time? Surely not by the amount of pre-orders that only cover a few of Apple's target markets? It takes at least a few months AND an analysis in Apple's major markets to be able to make a statement like that.

 

[AppleMark]

the beatings will continue until morale improves? Or no negative opinions will be allowed inside this walled garden?

People are disappointed. Expressing their displeasure ensures their voice is heard. If you just want rainbows and unicorns, you could just go over to apple's site and read all the good marketing script there.

I agree. Also the Apple site is hurting my eyes right now, with all the 'Colours'

 

[Count Blah]

You live in the same city as me, I have seen the checks from Samsung, you aint fooling me.

Dammit, you foiled my best laid plans.

 

[69650]

I think you can forget about any chance of it being a flop. This is a 2nd tier phone that has performance that still beats other brands 2013 1st tier phones for important categories like graphics and browser speed. Add in iOS 7, the free App bundle, and a price break...it's not going to flop.

I take your point but that wasn't what I was trying to say. I don't see why you would buy the 5C instead of the 5S. You're not saving much and you end up with a much better spec with the 5S.

If you really want a cheaper plastic phone then you would probably buy a Nokia or Samsung, etc which would work out a lot cheaper. I think the 5S will do well (I'm going to get one myself) but I don't think the 5C will do well.

Look at the MacBooks. IMHO the MBA looks much nicer than the MBP but the MBP accounts for 70% of MacBook sales despite it's higher price.

 

[romghostus]

Who said C is for color?

 

[numlock]

The thing isn't even on the market yet. how are you able to evaluate the success of the product at this time? Surely not by the amount of pre-orders that only cover a few of Apple's target markets? It takes at least a few months AND an analysis in Apple's major markets to be able to make a statement like that.

nothing outrageous about his post. he just claimed if it was a bit cheaper it would be much more successful. are you disagreeing with that?

this phone (personally i would like black or space gray) a bit cheaper could have been huge but pricing it so close to the 5s unsubsidized is lunacy.

apple has made pricing errors before with the iphone and coupled with their hesitancy to add more hard drive this phone is crazy expensive and shows apple´s lack of touch with the real world

 

[DakotaGuy]

Agreed. 7 hours in and they've sold out of one of the models. Think how many of these they have stockpiled; it's not like Apple has had to transform their manufacturing system from the 5.
I think these will sell quite, quite well.

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Yep. And those plastic colors were part of what got Apple into the mainstream again.

Yes these will sell very well. Tim Cook and his team are very smart when it comes to business and increasing profit margin without tons of new investment. People on this forum might think this is the iPhone 5 in a colored plastic case, but the average consumer thinks this product is all new. If I were Apple I'd just add a couple minor new features and new colors next year and people will go crazy buying it all over again.

 

[spicynujac]

You can get an iPhone 5 for nearly half of the cost of a 5C, off-contract, mind you.

Where? Around here craigslist has iphone 5 for $375-$400.

I am disappointed by 5c pricing but $150 less for an old used phone is not that much cheaper. Apple phones hold their value very well.. I was hoping prices would decline when they finally opened up to t-mobile and due to the fact that the Verizon 5 is unlocked but nope... Half of $550 is $225. Find me an iphone 5 for $225-$300 and I'm sold. Which is where I was expecting 5c to be (which is still more than a nexus 4).

 

[scoobydoo99]

Yes these will sell very well. Tim Cook and his team are very smart when it comes to business and increasing profit margin without tons of new investment. People on this forum might think this is the iPhone 5 in a colored plastic case, but the average consumer thinks this product is all new. If I were Apple I'd just add a couple minor new features and new colors next year and people will go crazy buying it all over again.

The biggest selling point for the 5c, and the reason I preordered one, is the weight.

FINALLY, I can get an iPhone that's at least CLOSE to the weight of my iPhone 4. I would have paid extra for the 5c over the 5s just for the extra .7 ounces (altho it's still .25 ounces lighter than an iPhone 4).

Interesting that the polycarbonate version will feel more valuable and luxurious than the aluminum "flagship".

 

[TallManNY]

Indeed. I love my red Nissan 370Z and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Not even the same car in a different color.

A red 5s would be great. Let's see if there's a case that I like.

I bet red is being saved for a special project red phone. they can now juice sales mid year with new colors. and iphone users will get to feel a little less sheeplike because there will atleast be a few different colors instead of just two.

 

[scoobydoo99]

I take your point but that wasn't what I was trying to say. I don't see why you would buy the 5C instead of the 5S. You're not saving much and you end up with a much better spec with the 5S.

Nope. The iPhone 5c has the better spec on weight at .7 ounces heavier than the 5s. So pay more for the 5s, which feels like lightweight junk, or get the higher-quality feeling 5c at a lower price. Easy choice.

 

[TallManNY]

Yes these will sell very well. Tim Cook and his team are very smart when it comes to business and increasing profit margin without tons of new investment. People on this forum might think this is the iPhone 5 in a colored plastic case, but the average consumer thinks this product is all new. If I were Apple I'd just add a couple minor new features and new colors next year and people will go crazy buying it all over again.

agreed. I could see things being more like an air phone and a pro version. so next year we might have a 6c and a 6s, with maybe the 5s discontinued. the 5c would remain as the low cost option and freeon contract.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

+1.. no demands for the 5C... what a waste of R&D.
Generally..... most people want the latest and the greatest!

The 5C was not created for the US market, it was created for overseas markets. That's also why you are seeing a gold iPhone 5S. Apple is now a global company and its products are being sold to global audiences who demand different things than US consumers.

 

[KdParker]

With Apple not offering iPhone 5S preorders this year I think it's safe to assume that retailers will see higher demand compared to previous years. So I don't think it'll be an accurate way to measure demand.

Pre-orders with the retailers is the best way to go if you don't want to wait in line. But this is only if you get on the list early enough.

 

[Rogifan]

The 5C was not created for the US market, it was created for overseas markets. That's also why you are seeing a gold iPhone 5S. Apple is now a global company and its products are being sold to global audiences who demand different things than US consumers.

I hate all this stereotyping. If the 5C was just created for overseas markets it would be priced cheaper.

 

[peterdevries]

nothing outrageous about his post. he just claimed if it was a bit cheaper it would be much more successful. are you disagreeing with that?

this phone (personally i would like black or space gray) a bit cheaper could have been huge but pricing it so close to the 5s unsubsidized is lunacy.

apple has made pricing errors before with the iphone and coupled with their hesitancy to add more hard drive this phone is crazy expensive and shows apple´s lack of touch with the real world

Please show me the pricing error Apple made. The first iPhone was expensive and lowered in price, but first generation products are usually more expensive. I do seem to remember that one of the other iPhones was lowered in price. This was also the case with the MacBook Air. Apple is one of the companies that really understands price-elasticity (check the tiered pricing of iPhones) and knows how to develop a pricing strategy.

From your vantage point the pricing might look crazy, but from a business point of view, Apple has delivered a masterstroke. With the current line-up of the 4S, 5C and the 5S, Apple covers the whole range of prices with premium products. Apple is now present in all pricing segments with products that are competitive. Even the cheapest iPhone (4S) has excellent hardware and guaranteed software updates. There is no Android phone that is able to match that, as they mostly fail in at least one of these two categories.

 

[numlock]

Please show me the pricing error Apple made. The first iPhone was expensive and lowered in price, but first generation products are usually more expensive. I do seem to remember that one of the other iPhones was lowered in price. This was also the case with the MacBook Air. Apple is one of the companies that really understands price-elasticity (check the tiered pricing of iPhones) and knows how to develop a pricing strategy.

From your vantage point the pricing might look crazy, but from a business point of view, Apple has delivered a masterstroke. With the current line-up of the 4S, 5C and the 5S, Apple covers the whole range of prices with premium products. Apple is now present in all pricing segments with products that are competitive. Even the cheapest iPhone (4S) has excellent hardware and guaranteed software updates. There is no Android phone that is able to match that, as they mostly fail in at least one of these two categories.

lowering the price during the life a product model is not the same as the backtracking they did with the original iphone model. i hope we can agree on that

what phones do they sell that costs under $400 unsubsidized?

i said they have made pricing errors before ie with the original iphone and personally i feel they are making the same here. we will see how it unfolds.

please remember the original post you quoted merely said the phone would be more successful if it was cheaper. do you disagree with the statement that if it was $100-150 cheaper it would do much better than it will end up doing?

apple is losing marketshare in the smartphone market and unless they want that to continue that trend they imo have to look into the prices of the older/lesser devices

 

[50548]

The 5C was not created for the US market, it was created for overseas markets. That's also why you are seeing a gold iPhone 5S. Apple is now a global company and its products are being sold to global audiences who demand different things than US consumers.

Stop presuming you are "special" - the average US consumer is actually POORER than the average consumer abroad, drowned in debt and unable to buy more expensive items.

In fact, the gigantic upper middle classes/higher classes from emerging countries are reason alone for the 5S to be released, not to mention affluent European segments - besides, the 5C is NOT sufficiently cheaper to justify your flawed theory above...in the end, it is AS expensive (or inexpensive) as the iPhone 5C for foreign markets.

 

[Klae17]

The biggest selling point for the 5c, and the reason I preordered one, is the weight.

FINALLY, I can get an iPhone that's at least CLOSE to the weight of my iPhone 4. I would have paid extra for the 5c over the 5s just for the extra .7 ounces (altho it's still .25 ounces lighter than an iPhone 4).

Interesting that the polycarbonate version will feel more valuable and luxurious than the aluminum "flagship".

Heavier is more luxurious and valuable? Maybe to you and five others. It's like saying a heavier dog is more luxurious than smaller dogs. Or my fridge weights more than your fridge. Or my desktop weighs more than your Mac Pro so it must be more luxurious and more valuable.

The acid and pastel colors aren't glamorous or luxurious either.

 

[\-V-/]

The biggest selling point for the 5c, and the reason I preordered one, is the weight.

FINALLY, I can get an iPhone that's at least CLOSE to the weight of my iPhone 4. I would have paid extra for the 5c over the 5s just for the extra .7 ounces (altho it's still .25 ounces lighter than an iPhone 4).

Interesting that the polycarbonate version will feel more valuable and luxurious than the aluminum "flagship".

Uh... what? The iPhone 4 is 4.8 ounces and the 5 is 3.95 ounces. The 5S is also 3.95 ounces.

The 5C, however, is 4.65 ounces. The plastic casing isn't making the phone lighter... it's actually heavier than the 5S by almost an ounce. So the lightness is not the selling point. The 5 already weighs less than the 4. I don't know if you've ever held a 5 in your hand while holding the 4, but it's noticeably lighter.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/

 

[scoobydoo99]

Heavier is more luxurious and valuable? Maybe to you and five others. It's like saying a heavier dog is more luxurious than smaller dogs. Or my fridge weights more than your fridge. Or my desktop weighs more than your Mac Pro so it must be more luxurious and more valuable.

The acid and pastel colors aren't glamorous or luxurious either.

No, heavier does not necessarily mean more luxurious and valuable, but quality luxury products are often heavier than cheap versions. Ask any audiophile how to estimate the quality of a home theater reciever, and they'll say "see how heavy it is." Pick up a Rolex and a Timex, and you can tell which one is which blindfolded. Even the dude in Jurassic Park knew how to tell that the night vision goggles were expensive:
"Are they heavy?"
"Yeah."
"Then they're expensive, put 'em back."

All I know is that when I hold an iPhone 5, my impression is "cheap junk."

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Uh... what? The iPhone 4 is 4.8 ounces and the 5 is 3.95 ounces. The 5S is also 3.95 ounces.

The 5C, however, is 4.65 ounces. The plastic casing isn't making the phone lighter... it's actually heavier than the 5S by almost an ounce. So the lightness is not the selling point. The 5 already weighs less than the 4. I don't know if you've ever held a 5 in your hand while holding the 4, but it's noticeably lighter.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/

So, go back and read my post again. Heavier is better. THAT is why I would pay more for the 5c than the 5s.

And yes, I've held the 5 in my hand, that's why I don't own one.