Just touched a 5C. This should have been the more expensive model imho.

[braddick]

Makes sense, the more I think of it.
I just thought there was such a minimal amount of aluminum used the cost savings wasn't there.

I was wrong.

 

[mib1800]

You guys are arguing over casing which cost maybe less than 5% of the production cost of the phone. Whether it is glass, plastic, aluminum the cost different is minimal.

 

[garysauctions]

You guys are arguing over casing which cost maybe less than 5% of the production cost of the phone. Whether it is glass, plastic, aluminum the cost different is minimal.

They are thinking, where you are not. Is the cost savings per phone minimal? Perhaps, and it might not make that big of a difference if you made only one phone. However when you sell as many units as Apple sells, those minute savings add up in rapid fashion.

By the way I can assure you the cost difference between molded plastic and tempered glass/machined aluminum is substantial.

Just for comparison ...

Scrap Plastic brings from .02 cents per pound up to .26 cents per pound.
http://www.plasticsmarkets.org/plastics/pricing.html

Scrap aluminum (cans) brings .72 cents per pound
http://www.metalprices.com/p/ScrapAluminumFreeChart

 

[Harmonious Zen]

They are thinking, where you are not. Is the cost savings per phone minimal? Perhaps, and it might not make that big of a difference if you made only one phone. However when you sell as many units as Apple sells, those minute savings add up in rapid fashion.

By the way I can assure you the cost difference between molded plastic and tempered glass/machined aluminum is substantial.

Just for comparison ...

Scrap Plastic brings from .02 cents per pound up to .26 cents per pound.
http://www.plasticsmarkets.org/plastics/pricing.html

Scrap aluminum (cans) brings .72 cents per pound
http://www.metalprices.com/p/ScrapAluminumFreeChart

Thank you for providing facts rather than baseless assertions!

Although trying to figure out cost differences is futile. Apple is not just any company and can easily command preferential pricing due to their huge volumes. I don't know for sure, but I'd wager the polycarbonate in their 5c is similar to the polycarbonate in their Apple TV, Airport Express, AirPort Extreme, etc.

 

[sixrom]

How so? Can you tell us the exact type of plastic it is......

Is it ...

1) Polyethylene Terephthalate
2) High-Density Polyethylene
3) Polyvinyl Chloride
4) Low-Density Polyethylene
5) Polypropylene
6) Polystyrene
7) Polylactide


What SPI code does it fall under?

What about it's chemical makeup makes it a " step above "?

Well played...

 

[torana355]

There's no analogy. And no, plastic wouldn't look as good on computers imho. So I don't think Airs or MBP's should switch to plastic. But I just liked the 5C's plastic much more than the aluminium of 5S. It doesn't just look better, it feels better in my hand as well. It's also much less slippery.

People get it in their heads that aluminium must be better than plastic, a good polycarbonate is lighter, more durable and can look nicer when done right. Don't get me wrong i love my MBA's aluminium unibody aswell as my iMac but plastic is not that bad.

 

[robotphood]

Personally, I think the 5C is probably the nicest plastic (although it has a metal inner frame) phone out there. I also love the hand feel of its curved edges. But the 5S/5 feels and looks more premium IMO. The attention to detail on it is unmatched. I wouldn't be opposed to the 6 having curved edges and retaining aluminum though.

 

[thegrants82]

Personally, I think the 5C is probably the nicest plastic (although it has a metal inner frame) phone out there. I also love the hand feel of its curved edges. But the 5S/5 feels and looks more premium IMO. The attention to detail on it is unmatched. I wouldn't be opposed to the 6 having curved edges and retaining aluminum though.

Nokia makes a much nicer feeling plastic phone. I have seen a couple of 5C's come loose already. Whatever they are using to hold the phone in the plastic case is not that durable.

 

[Max(IT)]

Nokia makes a much nicer feeling plastic phone. I have seen a couple of 5C's come loose already. Whatever they are using to hold the phone in the plastic case is not that durable.

Prove it.
Every single crash test regarding iPhone 5c so far showed it's very durable (the only fragile part is the screen, on a direct impact).

You are spreading a lot of false informations about iPhone 5c since its release.....

----------

The 5c is less expensive for Apple to manufacture than the 5. Apple using it instead of just lowering the price of the 5 is purely for Apples benefit.

Are you sure about that ?
I think it's cheaper to manufacture but there are other costs involved.
Apple had to redesign the iPhone (it costs) and opened another production line for the 5c, while 5 and 5s shares a lot of things.

And good quality plastic is not so cheaper than aluminum ....

----------

http://press.ihs.com/press-release/...iar-design-and-pricing-strategy-iphone-5c-ihs

That was at the time iPhone 5 was introduced ... right now production costs of iPhone 5 could be lower than that .... I think margins are narrow nowadays.

 

[robotphood]

Just touched a 5C. This should have been the more expensive model imho.

Nokia makes a much nicer feeling plastic phone. I have seen a couple of 5C's come loose already. Whatever they are using to hold the phone in the plastic case is not that durable.

Not to me and I've owned a lumia. The weight, density, and finish of the 5C feels nicer in my hand. I'm not commenting on durability since I don't own a 5C. Not to say a lumia is inferior in any way. Just my own perception from handling the 5C. I also have a moto x which is up there in build quality. The 5 is in it's own class when it comes to build quality in my eyes. Of course this all comes down to preference. Variety and choice is something we should be grateful for.

 

[IpadSC400]

Nokia makes a much nicer feeling plastic phone. I have seen a couple of 5C's come loose already. Whatever they are using to hold the phone in the plastic case is not that durable.

Ok, I'd rather have a bloody 3GS thats falling apart then a Lumia. IMAO, they are GROSS. I personally don't like the 5c but the Nokia is probably my absolute worse besides the droids.

 

[Señor]

I went to a Best Buy and saw that they had the 5C and 5s on display, so I went on over and touched them.

The 5C felt incredible and is the very reason I think Apple should switch to this kind of plastic for the 6.

 

[Max(IT)]

Ok, I'd rather have a bloody 3GS thats falling apart then a Lumia. IMAO, they are GROSS. I personally don't like the 5c but the Nokia is probably my absolute worse besides the droids.

We are going to see it in one year, but I'm under the impression that 5c use much better materials than 3G/3GS ...

 

[Septembersrain]

I went to a Best Buy and saw that they had the 5C and 5s on display, so I went on over and touched them.

The 5C felt incredible and is the very reason I think Apple should switch to this kind of plastic for the 6.

They'll keep me as a customer if they release a 6c with a variation of pretty colors like the 5c. As long as it had better internals than mine, I'd be keen to upgrade. =)

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

For the record though, people don't like plastic. Ever since the iPhone 4 came out.

No, it's ever since the original iPhone. Those of us who went from original iPhone to 3G or 3GS were surprised how cheap and plasticky it felt (combined with the lighter weight), along with the worse build quality. Fortunately, the iPhone 5c is much better in this department.

 

[soulreaver99]

The plastic feels incredible, and it looks amazing. It looks better than 5S imho. They should dump the aluminium and go with plastic from now on for all models.

And this certainly is not the same kind of plastic on other plastic phones. I have never seen plastic looking like that.

I'll sell you one for $2000