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Low-Cost iPhone '5C' May Include 8-Megapixel Camera

I'd be glad to have a good camera in there, so this is good news. So far, it doesn't really sound like the iPhone 5C will compromise on anything, other than the plastic back, which isn't really a "compromise". What will make people still buy the iPhone 5/5S at a higher price then? Surely not just the aluminum back and fingerprint sensor?
 
I wouldn't be surprised to see the fingerprint reader in the low-cost iPhone.

If it's not there, it will be due to problems with manufacturing enough readers in time.

The fingerprint reader will generate additional revenue for Apple when people use it for purchases, so they would want it in every watch, phone, tablet, and laptop they sell.
 
MacRumors said:
Apple's upcoming low-cost iPhone, perhaps called the iPhone "5C", may come equipped with the same 8-megapixel sapphire crystal-covered camera found in the iPhone 5 ...
Click to expand...

Every year the "new iPhone C" could get the previous year's "new iPhone" components.
Minus a few critical "must-have" components, like the (rumored) fingerprint sensor.
If you really need to save that $100, you can get the "C" and keep on typing your passcode manually.
 
I'm hoping that Apple will offer the iPhone 5S in colors as well (albeit not plastic). If they don't, this would be a major fail.
 
MP vs Optics

Grimace said:
If the sensor itself doesn't get larger, a 12MP image will do worse in low light situations because each pixel has be smaller (and let in less light). Stick to 8 and improve the optics!
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. If the sensor technology is improved, it may be more sensitive to light even if the pixels are smaller. I'm all for higher IQ, but you don't always have to cripple the MP count to achieve it. It's not that simple.

And they seem to almost always improve the optics. I don't know why people are complaining about the optics. They're pretty darn good already, and I wouldn't be surprised if they did get even better.
 
lordofthereef said:
I wouldn't be surprised if this new phone is essentially just the iPhone 5 in a less expensive housing.
Click to expand...

Works for me. I'm still using a 3GS and much prefer the plastic case. I mainly use my iPhone for a phone, music and as an extension of my Mac ecosystem (Mail, Contacts, Calendar and iTunes). I've acquired about two or three paid apps in the last three years only one of which "Dictionary" I really need. However time marches on and the 3GS's speed just doesn't cut it anymore!

Siri, social media and Face Time I'm not really much interested in. Assuming it's LTE an iPhone 5C with 64GB storage would be heaven for me. If it wasn't for music I might not have a smart phone at all. That said I doubt if Apple will offer the 5C with that much storage. Most likely I'll end up with a 5 or 5S.
 
ThatsMeRight said:
So, basically, they are going for an iPhone 5 with higher profit margins (plastic, cheap material + cheaper to fabricate) and a Lightning connector?

$199 - iPhone 5S
$99 - 'iPhone 5C'
$0 - iPhone 4S
Click to expand...

My guess is on:

$0 iPhone 5 (8GB)
$99 iPhone 5C (16GB + Colors)
$199/$299/$399 iPhone 5S (16/32/64)

I just don't see Apple spending R&D money and releasing a new product that would immediately be free (w/contract).

I think anything an everything with the old connector will be discontinued.
 
doelcm82 said:
I wouldn't be surprised to see the fingerprint reader in the low-cost iPhone.

If it's not there, it will be due to problems with manufacturing enough readers in time.

The fingerprint reader will generate additional revenue for Apple when people use it for purchases, so they would want it in every watch, phone, tablet, and laptop they sell.
Click to expand...

Good point. I had been thinking that the fingerprint sensor would be the differentiator between "5C" and "5S." Maybe not.

It all depends on how far Apple can go with retail purchases using iPhone this year. If they're ready to roll out a massive iWallet infrastructure with many retail partners, then it would be best for Apple to put the sensor on as many iPhones as possible, thus on the "5C" as well as the "5S."

But if Apple and/or retail partners aren't ready to roll out an iWallet feature on a large scale, or if there won't be any iWallet functionality at all this year, then the sensor might only appear on the "5S" this year. It would work with a biometric passcode feature in iOS 7, then migrate to the "6C" next year along with some or all of the "5S" components. If and only if some kind of iWallet feature is ready next year.
 
TouchMint.com said:
Looks like this is just going to be an iphone 5 reskinned. Its not bad but its not going to cost less than $99.
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This is the way it's looking. I also think the next main or 'premium' iPhone will be called iPhone 6 and that the iPhone 5 goes bye bye. The iPhone 6 will have a similar form factor to the iPhone 5 but with updated CPU, graphics, and other new things such as fingerprint sensor, new camera, etc.
 
It was cleaner when there was an iPhone, and one iPhone to buy. Now store will have an iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, and an iPhone 5C everywhere, not to mention the places that have the 4S, and 4 still on sale, if apple still indeed allows it. So much for one iPhone vs 100 droids eh?

The new iPhone should be called the iPhone 6.
The cheap iPhone should be the previous generations tech in a cheap plastic case, and continue the name of that generation, the 5.

Then every year just ratchet em down the line a notch.
 
FromM$2MAC said:
With all the info being leaked, I wouldn't doubt that the 5C IS the new iPhone. Also, with multiple pictures of the rear shell being different colors, I'm guessing the "C" in "5C" just stands for color. I'm not entirely sold that this is a "low cost" phone.
Click to expand...

That is the problem for no-contract users, like myself. A $400-tops iPhone would be a reasonable price. $450 is more than some can potentially afford (not myself however :p).
 
SwiftLives said:
My guess is on:

$0 iPhone 5 (8GB)
$99 iPhone 5C (16GB + Colors)
$199/$299/$399 iPhone 5S (16/32/64)

I just don't see Apple spending R&D money and releasing a new product that would immediately be free (w/contract).

I think anything an everything with the old connector will be discontinued.
Click to expand...

The only way I would have any interest in the iPhone 5C is if they sell it contract free for let's say $299.... so I can use it with a prepaid plan.

Why would I want to have a 2 year contract on a phone just to save $200.
 
hmmmm....how can they tout this as a low cost iPhone priced above $400? We'll see....I don't think this low cost iPhone will have 16GB either...maybe 8GB
 
ThatsMeRight said:
So, basically, they are going for an iPhone 5 with higher profit margins (plastic, cheap material + cheaper to fabricate) and a Lightning connector?

$199 - iPhone 5S
$99 - 'iPhone 5C'
$0 - iPhone 4S
Click to expand...

I would expect the 4S to go away. Apple will probably want to get rid of the 30 pin all together and this 5C becomes free on contact.
 
If this means the iPhone 5C is a repackaged iPhone 5 then this would be a good move for Apple. For the past year or so it seems that everyone was expecting something magical from the iPhone 5 and it ended up getting overshadowed by other phones like the Galaxy S3 and S4. If I were Apple, I'd drop the iPhone 5 name and just call it the iPhone Color so as not to bring over the negativity of the iPhone 5 like the scuff and scratch issues, the underwhelming (yet logical) 4" display, the maps fiasco (even though its a software related issue, I feel the average consumer can't really discern the difference and making it worse is the fact that both were launched about 2 weeks apart), and the purple lens flare (even though it was proven to affect other smartphones and DSLR cameras).

Now the name for the next gen iPhone, "iPhone 5S", I have no idea whether to keep the naming convention or go for "iPhone 6" or even "The all new iPhone" like they did with the iPad.

I love Apple and I think they have good intentions but you know what they say about that...:(
 
brdeveloper said:
Megapixel is one of the less important feature in phone cameras. A physical shutter button is way more useful as it allows self-portraits and more stability preventing shaking. A modern 5MP sensor in a f/2.4, 35mm-like focal length lens would be pretty nice.
Click to expand...

Just in case you weren't aware, the volume up button is a physical shutter button currently. Seems like many people don't know this.
 
iPhone 5C is shaping up to be a better value than the full price model. This will be the iPhone to have.

At least until Apple decides to produce something exciting and fresh after its run of half-upgrades. 4, 4S, 5, 5S they've got the small incremental revisions tuned to extract maximum profits from buyers.

Perhaps they will get serious with iPhone 6, or whatever it's labeled and show us what they're truly capable of.
 
I just wish they'd add 4g to ipod touch for $129 like they do on ipads. sign up for cell service if you want, or you can just buy data like on the ipad and get a skype number for less than $10/month.

If they could make the next iphone just like the current ipod touch, i'd be so happy. So thin and light.
 
bjsterilite said:
For the past year or so it seems that everyone was expecting something magical from the iPhone 5 and it ended up getting overshadowed by other phones like the Galaxy S3 and S4. If I were Apple, I'd drop the iPhone 5 name
Click to expand...
The "Magic" is long gone. Apple would do well to put the well recycled iPhone 4 design and its three derivatives behind them. iPhone 5 was a placeholder at best. My 4S was a much nicer phone than my oddly elongated narrow screen iPhone 5. It's time to hop off the gravy train of profits based on their past efforts and create something fresh, before the believers wake up and realize Apple placed money above delivering a world class product.
 
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