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Lower-Cost iPhone's Plastic Rear Shell Reportedly Surfaces

I really hope it doesn't have a 3.5 inch screen. I was hoping that with the release of the next iPhone. The 3 models available would be the iPhone plastic, iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S. All with 4 inch screens. Rather than the iPhone 4S still being purchasable. Leading to more significant 4 inch screen development/adoption etc.

Whether this is real or not, I like the throwback to the old school MacBooks, looks better than I would have expected.
 
carl0sian said:
FUuGGLY! I still don't see it's place in the iPhone Ecosystem.
.
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Don't worry, it's not for you. It's for your friends in India / China where phones aren't subsidised and the cost of an iphone outright is prohibitive for all but a small percentage.
 
samcraig said:
Congratulations to those who think that plastic is crap. Apple has certainly done its job in marketing their devices well if you believe that. And believe that only metal and glass are viable materials (now).

unbelievable.
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Yeah, except I don't believe Apple has ever widely marketing the idea that glass and metal are the only ways to go. That's a stupid claim considering they used plastic for 2 full years.

They use glass and plastic because they feel more durable and more professional. That's all.
 
See, normally I'd call BS on this rumor because Apple doesn't slide backwards when they introduce something new, like a taller screen. But then they came out with the iPad mini's non-retina display, so I guess this could be legitimate.

Then again, the cost difference between the retina and non-retina displays on the iPad is probably much greater than what they would save by going 3.5" instead of 4".
 
We all thought the iPhone 5 looked ugly when we saw the dodgy leaked shots. They rarely accurately portray the finished product.

You would also expect the budget phone to not look as nice as the premium version. Otherwise everyone would buy the cheap one.
 
No wonder Apple's stock went to a 3 year low. They are going backwards.
 
..

It looks very good. And for me it makes a lot of sense to have a lower cost iphone. some people need to chill out and make love. really. some of your comments are like....
 
samcraig said:
Um - but they do market it...

https://www.apple.com/iphone/design/

Scroll down about 1/3rd of the way down.
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I said WIDELY. I'd bet you less than 5% of iPhone owners have even visited that page, much less paid attention to them bragging about the materials used. Also, they don't even say anything about plastic being terrible... they're simply saying metal is a greta product to craft a phone out of. And they aren't wrong. There's a reason the MacBook is so much nicer and more durable than it's cheap PC counterparts.

The point here was that it has nothing to do with Apple's marketing team doing their job by convincing us all that metal and glass are the only materials to use. Most people have never heard that message from Apple.
 
Squilly said:
So get the iPhone 5. It's cheaper, sleeker, and has more tech cramped into it, ie. Retina display (probably won't be on this plastic version), thinner.
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$299 Lower-end iPhone > $649 iPhone 5/5S
$329 iPad Mini > $499 iPad 4

You see the picture here? The Mini will eventually outsell the $499 version.

Sorry not everyone can afford a $649 off contract phone. I'm sure they would be more willing to spend $299 out pocket for a cheaper iPhone.
 
I love it. Will make a nice first Phone for my 7 (8 when it releases) yr. old daughter. Hope the rumor of different colors is true also.
 
I like it. Good job Apple by expanding your market and creating more ways to make money, like a company is supposed to do and not release one version of your flagship product once a year.
 
I figured it would be like the iPhone 5 but with plastic shell, this is a weirdly rounded soft edge look.
 
TimUSCA said:
I said WIDELY. I'd bet you less than 5% of iPhone owners have even visited that page, much less paid attention to them bragging about the materials used.

The point here was that it has nothing to do with Apple's marketing team doing their job by convincing us all that metal and glass are the only materials to use. Most people have never heard that message from Apple.
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Believe what you want. From their website, to the press releases to their keynotes, etc - they talk specifically to the craftsmanship and materials they use.

But you can hyperbolize "widely" and some random stat of 5% if you want.

My point is - Apple through marketing, messaging and influence has somehow convinced many here that anything not made of metal and glass is crap.

Do you believe that anything made of plastic is cheap and crappy? If not - I'm probably not speaking "to you" :)
 
gibbz said:
Why? This isn't aimed at the typical iPhone user. This makes a lot of sense for countries where people can't afford the normal iPhone prices. This helps expand their user base, in my opinion. Perhaps I am wrong.
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Reports are that sales of the very not budget current iPhones are up three fold in India and both legit and black market sales in China are soaring.

And those were the two big markets that must have this cheap iPhone to make any sales.

Or not it seems
 
Knowing Apple, $300 for only 8GB storage most likely. :eek:

It would be a "starter" phone. You'll be up in the $600+ range for 64GB which I have now. May as well get the real iPhone at these prices.
 
xgman said:
No wonder Apple's stock went to a 3 year low. They are going backwards.
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They're being realistic.

They make so much profit now that it makes no sense not to investigate a lower-cost iPhone. They are confident that they can keep the high-end of the market while expanding iOS's reach to even more people.

The only danger to Apple is that a lot of high-end buyers opt for this model over the more expensive one, lowering the average sales price (ASP). Again, I think Apple are confident that the new iPhone will continue to appeal to those people so that those that can afford it will want it.
 
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