Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Low-Cost iPhone to Use Plastic or Hybrid Plastic/Metal Design, Due in Late 2013
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I really liked the 3G design, I thought the shiny black plastic was pretty, and the shape was lovely. People who aren't as obsessive as me did get theirs all scratched up quite easily though, which reduced the prettiness a bit.
A thinner iPhone of that shape would be really nice! If it had the old screen size as well I would totally want one.
A thinner iPhone of that shape would be really nice! If it had the old screen size as well I would totally want one.
It was still the low-cost market though, so the poster I quoted is wrong.
It's not like the proposed "cheap iPhone" is going to be the cheapest smartphone around. It will probably be as expensive as a cheap smartphone can possibly be, but it will tempt people in the low-cost smartphone market (i.e., save a little longer and instead of paying $100 for that Huawei, I can get a new iPhone for $300).
Who said anything about cars ? I was talking about my BMW.
----------
I don't understand why this keeps coming up, we're talking low cost for unsubsidized phones and some posters keep bringing up the irrelevant older models.
As this is digit times I will ignore the story. But, if it IS true, then who wants to guess the mark up Apple will put on a plastic iPhone seeing as the 3 and 3G had plastic backs but horrendous top end pricing?
I'm not sure if a plastic iPhone cuts it any more, maybe if it was half the cost of the normal model but what else will Apple skimp on in it? SOC, ram, camera, storage, battery, design so you can't replace the battery or home button or screen like the iPad cause of the glue?
Oh well at least it will get a mobile phone signal...
But it will be interesting to see what Apple make as it may be worth a punt?
I'm not sure if a plastic iPhone cuts it any more, maybe if it was half the cost of the normal model but what else will Apple skimp on in it? SOC, ram, camera, storage, battery, design so you can't replace the battery or home button or screen like the iPad cause of the glue?
Oh well at least it will get a mobile phone signal...
But it will be interesting to see what Apple make as it may be worth a punt?
Last edited:
I suppose plastic will suddenly become magical and innovative.
This is not any ordinary plastic all the korean manufacturers use. This is going to be medical grade plastic which is used to save lives. Titanium cannot save lives, can only fix bones.
If this is true, this would go against Apple's motif of doing just a few things really well. They already have a low cost phone in the iPhone 4, 4S.
Hey now! My Z06 was yellow, very very yellow, even the seats (well, the rear shells ...), no racing stripes, though it was occasionally raced.
Love me some yellow cars, the right kind of yellow, the right kind of car.
So let me get this straight: It is a cheaper iPhone primarily because it uses plastic? Wouldn't that make the iPhone 3 and 3GS and "cheap" phone with an high price...oh well who am I kidding...We already know Apple sells overpriced products...The BOM will only slightly change when they introduce a cheaper iPhone, but they can differentiate better and sell more in turn.
Yes, just like Ford or Chevy do....
Every company that wants to maximize revenue needs to cater to individual markets which are often influenced by different factors. E.g, just as an F350 wouldn't sell well in the UK where gas is 2-3x what it is here, a $450 iPhone wouldn't sell well in China where upfront cost is a big issue.
Stop giving us rednecks a bad name!
Yellow motorcycle and/or SUV?
----------
Hey now! My Z06 was yellow, very very yellow, even the seats (well, the rear shells ...), no racing stripes, though it was occasionally raced.
Love me some yellow cars, the right kind of yellow, the right kind of car.
Thanks to this topic, I went out and googled a few yellow BMW's. While I wouldn't choose that color myself, I will admit that some of them do look...eh...decent enough.
Personally, I prefer black or red cars. I'm boring like that.
What do I care about market share? I have a phone that works great and suits my needs and which I like, it doesn't really bother me that 70% of the rest of the world is using some other OS.
Apple isn't like google, who earns its profits from advertising (and thus has incentive to see its OS get into as many hands as possible). My concern is that their software side apparently can't keep up with their hardware, and I shudder to think what a sudden influx of millions of new IOS users would do to their servers.
Also, it sounds like they are essentially releasing a redesigned 3gs, and will likely limit IOS on that platform as well. What sort of "Apple experience" are you looking at when many of the key features will likely not be available there? Seems like it may be an iphone in form only, but not in essence?
How about an iPhone mini with same resolution as the 3GS but on a slightly smaller screen for a higher DPI?
Bs
This is the fakest rumor i have heard since a year ago when the mac pro was suppose to get an update.....
This is the fakest rumor i have heard since a year ago when the mac pro was suppose to get an update.....
I think this is Tim's crap he is feeding the media to distract them while he works on the new Mac Pro, thin tb display, and iPhone 5s. We will all be caught blindsided by what he does with these and the "wow factor" will be back at these apple press events.
It's not the phone, it's the data plan
I don't think the cost of the phone is the problem. You can get an iPhone 4S for $99 or an iPhone 4 for free.
The reason I hear the most as to why people don't have a smartphone is because of the expensive data plans. People don't want to add another $20-30 on top of their already expensive service plans.
I don't think the cost of the phone is the problem. You can get an iPhone 4S for $99 or an iPhone 4 for free.
The reason I hear the most as to why people don't have a smartphone is because of the expensive data plans. People don't want to add another $20-30 on top of their already expensive service plans.
Considering Apples margins, an iPhone for 99 Dollars would be this: (74 Euros is around 100 Dollars)
http://www.amazon.de/Samsung-Smartp...L8VU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358261890&sr=8-2
Apple will never make an iPhone for 99 Dollars. Forget it already!
http://www.amazon.de/Samsung-Smartp...L8VU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358261890&sr=8-2
Apple will never make an iPhone for 99 Dollars. Forget it already!
Some people are fooled by the initial cost of the subsided iPhone thinking it is only $200 or $100 or $0, but totally disregard the total cost of ownership. Then you have people who are fooled by buying unsubsidized but then paying the same monthly rate as as those who are subsidized!
What we need for a less expensive iPhone is a less expensive iPhone with less expensive plans! A lower total cost of ownership.
When things will take off is when you can get an iPhone for $100-$150, but then play $35 a month for say 200 minutes and 200mb of data and no text fees (or something like that).
Or another type of plan like say Tracfone. Where you by the phone upfront for $100 - $200 and pay a flat low monthly fee (say $20 a month). Then buy minutes and data separately that don't expire as long as your account is active. Something like 200 minutes for $35, and 250mb of data for $35.
Not everyone needs "unlimited" minutes and 2gb+ of data.
Probably neither will happen for a long time...
What we need for a less expensive iPhone is a less expensive iPhone with less expensive plans! A lower total cost of ownership.
When things will take off is when you can get an iPhone for $100-$150, but then play $35 a month for say 200 minutes and 200mb of data and no text fees (or something like that).
Or another type of plan like say Tracfone. Where you by the phone upfront for $100 - $200 and pay a flat low monthly fee (say $20 a month). Then buy minutes and data separately that don't expire as long as your account is active. Something like 200 minutes for $35, and 250mb of data for $35.
Not everyone needs "unlimited" minutes and 2gb+ of data.
Probably neither will happen for a long time...