Lower-Cost iPhone's Plastic Rear Shell Reportedly Surfaces

[Squilly]

Say what?!?! Seriously Squilly, this is why you will never make it in the business world. The iPhone 5 is a $600+ phone. The $300 quoted here is the retail price. Not the subsidized price that you pay your cell company. This would be a free phone at Verizon, ATT and Sprint. This is designed for the rest of the world where they pay full price for the phone, but get a much reduced rate per month than US.

Understanding what you are paying for and not being ignorant: Priceless. Basic business 101....

No, I understand that much. But remember, it's Apple. Known for high-quality stuff and especially NOT downgrading, which they're doing. Bad step to take. Look at the iPad Mini, people are mad it doesn't have a Retina display. Why? People know Apple is more than capable of doing so in the first generation.

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I'm not sure how this made your point? Your point was that the iPhone 5 is cheaper. It is not. And Tmobiles plan is no different than Verizon or anyone else's, the difference is that the subsidized price is excluded from the monthy plan costs and instead is a separate charge (only difference is once 24 months is up you no longer have to pay it).

EITHER WAY the iPhone 5 is a $600+ phone and this is a $300 phone. It is NOT cheaper than an iPhone 5.

Didn't say it was cheaper. It's more expensive but comes at a 'more affordable' plan instead of one large lump sum.

 

[Jibbajabba]

(Le)terally?!?!?!

Don't get me started. I am not even native English and I got shivers down my spine when reading that lol

 

[RobertMartens]

This is different from the Mac Mini. The Mac Mini's only reason for being cheaper is that it doesn't include a display by default. Include a display and the price shoots up to well over a thousand bucks. The innovation was that now you could bring your own display, and save a whole lot on computer upgrades. This is purely a cheaper iPhone. I don't believe they've ever done anything like this.

Yes, exactly, that's what I'm talking about!

 

[TC03]

Here is my hope:

1) Apple is aware that iPhone has come and gone. It revolutionized smartphones, made them a lot of money and they will milk it for years to come.

2) iPad has come and gone. It created the tablet category, made them a lot of money, etc.

3) Apple is an innovator and a revolutionary, and its following wants new revolutions. Without that Apple will lose its might and become just one of the tech companies. iWatch, and iTV are coming to revolutionize their categories.

If Apple is not aware of this, and literally does not revolutionize something this year, and instead starts coming up with versions and colors of same old product, it will sadly deflate and become an ordinary tech company -- on their way to become irrelevant.

I do hope you remember how Apple managed their iPod product portfolio over the years. It's the exact same thing as is happening to the iPhone. I think it's a good strategy.

 

[Rogifan]

No, I understand that much. But remember, it's Apple. Known for high-quality stuff and especially NOT downgrading, which they're doing. Bad step to take. Look at the iPad Mini, people are mad it doesn't have a Retina display. Why? People know Apple is more than capable of doing so in the first generation.

So Apple could have created an iPad mini in the exact form factor, weight, thickness and battery life as the current mini but with a retina display? And sold it for $329?

 

[Jibbajabba]

Look at the iPad Mini, people are mad it doesn't have a Retina display. Why? People know Apple is more than capable of doing so in the first generation

And did it stop people from buying ?

 

[subsonix]

hello? I just said that. You have to say something different.

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning

filler

 

[TC03]

This is different from the Mac Mini. The Mac Mini's only reason for being cheaper is that it doesn't include a display by default. Include a display and the price shoots up to well over a thousand bucks. The innovation was that now you could bring your own display, and save a whole lot on computer upgrades. This is purely a cheaper iPhone. I don't believe they've ever done anything like this.

iPod mini, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, the white unibody MacBook. How many examples do you need?

 

[RJCP]

FFS, anyone can notice the pixelization around the iPhone and Apple logo. This is as fake as fake can get.

 

[Squilly]

And did it stop people from buying ?

Some, yes.

 

[frayne182]

And did it stop people from buying ?

well it wasn't exactly flying off the shelves.

 

[TC03]

FFS, anyone can notice the pixelization around the iPhone and Apple logo. This is as fake as fake can get.

That's called JPEG compression.

 

[Squilly]

So Apple could have created an iPad mini in the exact form factor, weight, thickness and battery life as the current mini but with a retina display? And sold it for $329?

Yes. Just like they do on every other revision... upgrade the technology, same price.

 

[RobertMartens]

Don't get me started. I am not even native English and I got shivers down my spine when reading that lol

I hate when this happens, and it happens a lot. What does (Le)terally mean?
I feel so old.

 

[Miharu]

It didn't stop me from buying the iPad mini, but I sure would have preferred the retina display. I will most likely update to a retina model later.

 

[RobertMartens]

The white unibody MacBook. How many examples do you need?

Oh yeah, forgot about that one. It was white and plastic and ugly. Ouch Direct hit.


BTW I don't think the white MacBook was 'unibody'

edit, I'm wrong there it was a unibody plastic in it final version.

 

[daneoni]

Look at the iPad Mini, people are mad it doesn't have a Retina display. Why? People know Apple is more than capable of doing so in the first generation..

There are valid technical reasons why the mini doesn't have a retina display yet. It needs a quad core GPU which needs power hence a bigger battery which equals a bigger, heavier, more expensive mini. Apple can't always bend the laws of physics.

Despite all these the iPad mini and iPad 2 are the best selling iPads in the product line.

 

[TC03]

Oh yeah, forgot about that one. It was white and plastic and ugly. Ouch Direct hit.


BTW I don't think the white MacBook was 'unibody'

It was unibody.

 

[Mactendo]

Nooooo... Make it translucent! It will sell like hot cakes, especially in Asia. Japanese will collect those cheap colored iPhones.

 

[malnar]

I like it. Looks much more comfortable than the hard-edged 4/4s/5 style. Don't care if it's plastic as long as it's durable. That's my only concern - I had a 3G that cracked all over (who didn't?) and I really hope Apple figured out what caused that before considering a new plastic casing design.

 

[samcraig]

No, I understand that much. But remember, it's Apple. Known for high-quality stuff and especially NOT downgrading, which they're doing. Bad step to take. Look at the iPad Mini, people are mad it doesn't have a Retina display. Why? People know Apple is more than capable of doing so in the first generation.

\

You can't downgrade a product that hasn't existed and for a specific market.

An iPhone 6 that went backwards would be a downgrade. An iPad 5 with poorer parts would be a downgrade.


This is a different model for a different market. Again - this phone is not for you. It's not for me. It's not a downgrade for anyone who will be buying the phone.

 

[rammorris]

Here is what everyone is missing: we are getting ready to be free of credit cards. Such ability should not be limited to those that can afford a high-end Apple phone. The software-- Passport-- will become a key product. There will be significant demand for this technology among all cell phone users. Apple should not cede this market to its competitors just because of the cost of the case.

Also, new generations of iPhones may include costly features that primarily business users/affluent will be willing to pay for. Market differentiation allows everyone to benefit from Apple technology that they can afford. Less expensive does not necessarily mean cheap or substandard. By way of example, Apple sold many iPod shuffles to consumers who could not afford or were unwilling to pay for the features or capacity of a nano, yet I would not describe any iteration of the shuffle as "cheap."

In short, those who think Apple is moving forward have it right.

 

[clebin]

Oh yeah, forgot about that one. It was white and plastic and ugly. Ouch Direct hit.


BTW I don't think the white MacBook was 'unibody'

The last model of white MacBook was sort of unibody. Personally I think they looked great, as well as being less prone to dents and scratches and much nicer to use on a cold morning than anything metal. Likewise, I liked the tactility of the pebble-shaped 3G/3GS. Personal taste.

 

[M-O]

We are approaching the iPod mini stage in the iPhone lifecycle. Cheaper, colorful, not better but still pretty good.

The only problem, at least in the US, is the carriers. It doesn't matter what the phone costs because the subsidy will make it the same price as every other phone. (the actual problem is the customers who put up with it...)

This phone is for China/India/T-Mobile US. And I welcome it.

 

[Jibbajabba]

I hate when this happens, and it happens a lot. What does (Le)terally mean?
I feel so old.

I don't know about the (Le) part, but I think he was mocking Serelus

Literally anyone could of made that... literally anybody.

"Literally" is always overused wrongly .. and "Could of" ? Really ?