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Leaked Photos of Low Cost iPhone 4 Prototype

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A series of images of what are claimed to be a prototype lower-cost iPhone 4 have been posted to Vietnamese site Tinhte.vn. The images are said to come from a "very reliable source" and are said to represent a lower-cost version of the iPhone 4. Machine translation describes an iPhone 4 but using plastic instead of glass to lower costs:
Some other information that you want to transfer to you is that this machine seems to run faster than the iPhone 4, lighter weight and two glass front and back seem to have been replaced by two plastic sheets, type of sensation and cry other than the iPhone 4.
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Vinhte.vn is notable for being one of the sites with early access to one of the original iPhone 4 prototypes. They've also posted photos and video from an iPod Touch prototype with camera as well as 64 GB White iPhone 4 running a special version of iOS 4 with Expose-like multitasking.

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There has been speculation about the possibility of two new iPhone models this year, including a cheaper model alongside the iPhone 5. The role of the cheaper model would be to penetrate the mid range smartphone market with another device. The existing iPhone 4 may be too expensive to produce as is to fill this gap.

Article Link: Leaked Photos of Low Cost iPhone 4 Prototype
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/28/leaked-photos-of-low-cost-iphone-4-prototype/
I find it unlikely that Apple would use plastic for the front touchscreen surface, especially considering every iPod touch has had a glass screen.
 
Tastydirt said:
I find it unlikely that Apple would use plastic for the front touchscreen surface, especially considering every iPod touch has had a glass screen.
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Agreed, Apple planned on using plastic for the first generation iPhone's screen but then scrapped that and went with glass.
 
i really doubt that they would release a cheaper model, "We doesn't ship junk" If it isn't a high quality product, its unlikely they would send it out. Not saying its impossible, just that i doubt it. a lot.
 
Agreed on both, Apple hasn't ever taken that kind of shortcut just to keep a device cheap. I'd be thoroughly surprised if they truly release a plastic iPhone.
 
It's a normal iPhone with a matte screen protector, you can even see the edges around the home button and back corner. It's an older model with the different sensor sure, but nothing that isn't in the hands of the general public.
 

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They would be idiots to mortgage their brand to get down in the dirt at the commodity level with Asian companies.
 
Interesting if true, it would be good to see the iPhone 4 repackaged as a cheaper option to replace the 3gs. One of Androids big advantages is the range of pricepoints that are available.
 
We don't ship junk? What do you call the MagSafe adapter? You know, the one they replace for free on the 2006 models?

I love my MacBook Air, but the MagSafe just stinks. I recently had one blow out on my new computer when I was running a game in boot camp because it drew too much power for the adapter and it shorted out. I went to the Apple Store, asked for a replacement, and they took it and gave me a new one. They never asked to see my computer or for the serial number. Now look, if you're swapping a product out that quickly that costs $80, you know its not a good product. Period.

Apple will ship whatever sells. And not all plastic is cheap, and not all cheap plastic stinks. If you've studied orgo, you would know that in some cases plastic is FAR higher quality than glass. However, to most people, plastic feels cheap because a lot of cheap products use cheaply, poorly engineered plastic. Though I had the sides that split open on the black MacBook (2006 models were junk, like it or not), the fact remains that most of the plastic on the device was pretty solidly engineered, and that part wasn't well engineered for whatever reason. Hey, your laptop has plastic keys if you have a MacBook Air. And last I checked, Apple keys don't fall off. They feel light and cheap, but they're incredibly solid.

Don't believe the hype. Plastic on an iphone can work even better than glass, it just won't feel luxurious.
 
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really? this is an iPhone 4 with non-authentic (or not final) white glass, with matte front back/protectors... running cydia. i can't believe this is on macrumors.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

ddeadserious said:
Agreed on both, Apple hasn't ever taken that kind of shortcut just to keep a device cheap. I'd be thoroughly surprised if they truly release a plastic iPhone.
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They did before! The 3G was to make the iPhone cheaper! Apple will do what it need to do to make a quick buck!
 
Think the ability to use iMessage and drop your texting plan is a much better marketing feature to lure cheaper folks.
 
Totally bogus.

Switching from glass to plastic (or modifying anything else cosmetic) would have a negligible effect on the cost. The most expensive components are the capacitive touch screen, the LCD display, and the main silicon (SoC and NAND flash). Those are the things that would need to be altered to trim costs.

This rumor is ridiculously ludicrous.
 
So I guess now both rich and poor alike can say.. "oh lookie! I can control it with my finger!" and then make a goofy laugh of amusement.
 
talkingfuture said:
Interesting if true, it would be good to see the iPhone 4 repackaged as a cheaper option to replace the 3gs. One of Androids big advantages is the range of pricepoints that are available.
Click to expand...

This may be a fake, but I still think it would be good idea for Apple to release a lower cost version of the phone. iPhone Nano idea sounds cool - a lot of people don't need a smartphone and it would be another market that Apple could get into.
 
Gav2k said:
They did before! The 3G was to make the iPhone cheaper! Apple will do what it need to do to make a quick buck!
Click to expand...

No, they used plastic because of the issues demonstrated with the original iPhones design, which had a semi plastic back. Presumably, glass hadn't been developed enough at that point for apple to be able to use it large scale.


hstewart said:
This may be a fake, but I still think it would be good idea for Apple to release a lower cost version of the phone. iPhone Nano idea sounds cool - a lot of people don't need a smartphone and it would be another market that Apple could get into.
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I doubt it. The whole point is that it is a smartphone, if you want anything else, get the motorola RAZR.


clibinarius said:
We don't ship junk? What do you call the MagSafe adapter? You know, the one they replace for free on the 2006 models?

<snip>
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Nice completely unrelated rant.
 
I call BS, as do others. There may be another, cheaper iPhone eventually, but I don't think a plastic screen will be the way forward.
 
I remember a bunch of "Apple would never ship an iPhone on Verizon" posts on this forum and what do you see in Verizon stores today?
 
This doesn't jive with Steve Jobs' admonishment of "not releasing crap", as he so elegantly stated when asked about netbooks.
 
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