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It's called business. All Apple are guilty of are trying to expand their market share by making Apple available to people who cannot afford the current iPhone (with or without a contract). Your post is backward - old Apple thinking. IF you don't like them - stick to the premium iPhone, which will still be available. The days of Apple snobbery are over.

you clearly don't understand the roots of success of apple. apple losing this philosophy will just slowly take them to where sony has been coming from, aor even worse back to where it was where steve left it. steve brought in the philosophy that you call snobbery that founded the success of the company that brought you the iPhone.

if i like Apple, i buy apple. if i want something that apple doesnt do, i.e. cheap, designed for price products, then i will go somewhere else.
 
It will just all be iPhone, I think. Like the iPod Touch Line. This low-cost iPhone will just be a lower storage capacity probably.

come to think of it, yeah you are probably right.

the low cost colourful iphone only available in 16 GB = the cheap one
and the flagship iphone could start from 32 GB. I'm speculating with the pricing here, so it could be :

16 GB colorful iphone = $499 (no contract)
32 GB flagship iphone = $699 (no contract)
64 GB flagship iphone = $799 (no contract)
128 GB flagship iphone = $899 (no contract)
 
This is innovation at its best.
Apple is back !

If in doubt - and you need to distract your user base away from the fact you've not had any decent innovative ideas for the past two years ....colourise! :D

Sorted!

I get the sarcasm, but really, how is any company supposed to come up with a completely new type of device, like the iPhone or iPad, every couple of years? Are people really that bored with life? I'm getting tired of seeing the word "innovative" and "innovation" everywhere. Stop being a bunch of monkeys and say something original.
 
come to think of it, yeah you are probably right.

the low cost colourful iphone only available in 16 GB = the cheap one
and the flagship iphone could start from 32 GB. I'm speculating with the pricing here, so it could be :

16 GB colorful iphone = $499 (no contract)
32 GB flagship iphone = $699 (no contract)
64 GB flagship iphone = $799 (no contract)
128 GB flagship iphone = $899 (no contract)

16 GB will be $450 AT MOST because that is what they sell the iPhone 4 at now. I'm thinking it will be $399. Although the could conceivably do:

8 GB iPhone color = $399
16 GB iPhone color = $499
 
you clearly don't understand the roots of success of apple. apple losing this philosophy will just slowly take them to where sony has been coming from, aor even worse back to where it was where steve left it. steve brought in the philosophy that you call snobbery that founded the success of the company that brought you the iPhone.

if i like Apple, i buy apple. if i want something that apple doesnt do, i.e. cheap, designed for price products, then i will go somewhere else.

I understand the success of Apple and business very well thank you, but we don't live in the world you speak of any more. Steve is gone, that argument is redundant and irritating. See "The Ansoff Matrix" for answers as to why Apple are releasing an alternative iPhone.

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come to think of it, yeah you are probably right.

the low cost colourful iphone only available in 16 GB = the cheap one
and the flagship iphone could start from 32 GB. I'm speculating with the pricing here, so it could be :

16 GB colorful iphone = $499 (no contract)
32 GB flagship iphone = $699 (no contract)
64 GB flagship iphone = $799 (no contract)
128 GB flagship iphone = $899 (no contract)

$499 is far too expensive.
 
Does the back of an iPhone sold outside the US look any different than one sold in he US? Seriously, I don't know. If it does, you may have a point. If it does not, you do not.

And every prototype or test unit have ever seen has the FCC info on it.

We (Switzerland) have the same FCC and other regulation things on the back.


Just a thought I had: what if this new colour iphone comes as a 16gb-only-option while the new iPhone 5S will start at 32GB? It's overdue to rise the storage. And it solves the problem of a product diversity: only one size for each colour! and for more storage, better quality, camera etc you can get the iphone 5s
 
This "lower cost" phone is going to look better than the more expensive model!

Personally it doesn't look 'better', just 'different' enough from the usual iPhone stuff and hence is exciting.

Last night after looking at the mock-ups, I stumbled back onto Apple's website for whatever reason and saw the iPhone 5 again, and I just thought it looked better. I dunno. Personal opinion. Both look good in their own way.
 
haha, just like that you took off $50 retail price from msrp of $649. apple never going to lower their price.

the found a sweet spot of $649 ($199 contract) - they will keep it until the iPhone sales slow down.

$299 - dream on - at least it will be $399 ($450 - iPhone 4 - it will be even huge they take off $50).

The cost of the iPhone5 is $207 to manufacture, the 4S is around $195. So technically they could even sell the current iPhone at $299 and the cost of goods doesn't justify the price increase, but investors like their margins. I'm wondering how much it will cost the cheap iPhone to manufacture and how different the internals will be. I'm guessing the casing probably drops the cost from 5 bucks for aluminum to 25 cents
 
Yuck! Cheap and ugly. Hope this is a rumor.

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I get the sarcasm, but really, how is any company supposed to come up with a completely new type of device, like the iPhone or iPad, every couple of years? Are people really that bored with life? I'm getting tired of seeing the word "innovative" and "innovation" everywhere. Stop being a bunch of monkeys and say something original.

I agree, innovation is gone over there.
 
The cost of the iPhone5 is $207 to manufacture, the 4S is around $195. So technically they could even sell the current iPhone at $299 and the cost of goods doesn't justify the price increase, but investors like their margins. I'm wondering how much it will cost the cheap iPhone to manufacture and how different the internals will be. I'm guessing the casing probably drops the cost from 5 bucks for aluminum to 25 cents

Per your rational, why not just sell the phone for $208?
 
Some typical Low-Cost iPhone customers

iphone-lc-target-market.jpg
 
What would the naming be then?

Low cost iphone = iphone
Iphone 5s = the new iphone / iphone pro :D

Cause obviously apple would drop the numbering when this one comes out, just like the ipad.

Edit :



come to think of it, yeah you are probably right.

the low cost colourful iphone only available in 16 GB = the cheap one
and the flagship iphone could start from 32 GB. I'm speculating with the pricing here, so it could be :

16 GB colorful iphone = $499 (no contract)
32 GB flagship iphone = $699 (no contract)
64 GB flagship iphone = $799 (no contract)
128 GB flagship iphone = $899 (no contract)

iPhone
iPhone fun

Remember you heard it here first ;)
 
i know it will never happen, but to me anything above 299 is not to be considered "cheap". are we really to the point that 400-500$/€ is the low end?
we're used to apple overpricing low end models in their lineup, still if it has an A6 chip, and a low price indeed, how will people justify the premium for the premium model?
-8gb storage
-512MB RAM?
-lower quality camera (still i would expect 8mp, unless they want to go back to the 3yrs old 5mp sensor, or even adopt the ipod touch sensor?)
-no HD facetime
-no 4G LTE
-no 2nd,3rd microphone
-colors can be a plus for someone, hey, around 80% of the iphones i see around have a bulky colored rubber cover anyway!
 
I understand the success of Apple and business very well thank you, but we don't live in the world you speak of any more. Steve is gone, that argument is redundant and irritating. See "The Ansoff Matrix" for answers as to why Apple are releasing an alternative iPhone.

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$499 is far too expensive.

i don't care what you think. you clearly don't get it. the motivation for releasing more iPhones that are cheap will be more and more about money, and less and less about product. which is the unhealthy balance. the more apple become seduced by market share competition, and numbers.. money.. the less like Apple they become.

it should stay about products. let other brands fill the price points.

let apple lead and innovate products by example.
 
Worry about the back all you like. If the FRONT brings iOS and the App Store to more people in places where subsidies are not the norm, that's a great thing.

It would be weird, IS this is real, if the full iPhone did not gain colors as well. Maybe iPod-Touch-Style metal band colors.

(I wish all RED devices had black faces instead of white. Black and red would be my chosen iPhone every time! White and red? It's a good cause... not a good look. Plus black is best for the screen, since the white glares in sunlight. So I'd like to have at least one color choice without resorting to white.)
 
it should stay about products. let other brands fill the price points.

let apple lead and innovate products by example.

innovation you say, i guess you do that with money.. just my opinion.
are you just envious that more and more people will have your same phone/computer/tablet? it's not the 90s anymore, apple IS a consumer brand, and an expensive one.
too bad some people will not brag anymore that they own revolutionary devices..
 
i don't care what you think. you clearly don't get it. the motivation for releasing more iPhones that are cheap will be more and more about money, and less and less about product. which is the unhealthy balance. the more apple become seduced by market share competition, and numbers.. money.. the less like Apple they become.

it should stay about products. let other brands fill the price points.

let apple lead and innovate products by example.

No need to be so rude! I get it, I work it, I know business...I just disagree with you completely...and if you are going to get all heated up about it, I don't wish to discuss anything with you. Ok? I get it. My argument makes as much sense as yours - they are just on different sides. In saying that, my argument is based on business sense and yours on nothing but pure nostalgia and snobbery. Even ghetto kids have iPhones these days, so don't think you are something special just because you sit in a cafe with your MacBook and iPhone. Every Tom, Dick & Harry has Apple products these days. Apple is not BMW. Your business plan worked 5 years ago, but the market has changed considerably since then. Plus, learn to punctuate. It belittles whatever intelligence you do possess.
 
are you just envious that more and more people will have your same phone/computer/tablet?

not at all.

i recommend everyone i've met to get a Mac computer or apple product, despite the pricing putting them off.

if you read my other pages, i don't discourage apple making products as a consumer / pro hybrid company. they just shouldn't race to the bottom for saturation in market share or be affected by samsung saturating the inevitable remaining larger market.

apple are a Premium product company. being a CONSUMER company, doesn't mean you sacrifice premium. its about premium pro and consumer electronics.

i trust tim cook and apple. i dont trust that tim cook can withstand persuasion of others but he clearly understands apples philosophy based on the interviews i've seen.

iPad Mini, still an expensive premium product, lends me much faith they haven't lost this philosophy yet. they will however if they start releasing plastic ipads.

----------

No need to be so rude! I get it, I work it, I know business...I just disagree with you completely...and if you are going to get all heated up about it, I don't wish to discuss anything with you. Ok? I get it. My argument makes as much sense as yours - they are just on different sides. In saying that, my argument is based on business sense and yours on nothing but pure nostalgia and snobbery. Even ghetto kids have iPhones these days, so don't think you are something special just because you sit in a cafe with your MacBook and iPhone. Every Tom, Dick & Harry has Apple products these days. Apple is not BMW. Your business plan worked 5 years ago, but the market has changed considerably since then. Plus, learn to punctuate. It belittles whatever intelligence you do possess.

the only reason i care about apple maintaining its premium product status is so that focusing on cheaper, poorer products, don't affect the greatness they can make that they are known for.

your post , supposing you do get it suggests to me that you want apple ot be like every other company, which is pointless since companies that support your philosophy, already exist. why tarnish apple's potential to keep being a great product company just so you can see them make bigger numbers?

i'm surprised how childish people's views can be to presume the reason i want apple to keep focusing on good products is because i am some snob or that i want to feel 'special' for owning apple products. :rolleyes: i thought i would take this opportunity to mention i Don't own an iPhone, and i am interested in an alterante iPhone that may cost less. i just don't want it to be cheap or worse than the current iPhone, i want it to be different mostly. and No.. i don't sit in cafe's or Starbucks with my macbook, it never leaves my desk.

if any of you did your home work on my posts in this topic, i already encouraged alternate products of each line, particularly iphone. the only difference is, i encourage it based on product and use, Not price.
 
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not at all.

i recommend everyone i've met to get a Mac computer or apple product, despite the pricing putting them off.

if you read my other pages, i don't discourage apple making products as a consumer / pro hybrid company. they just shouldn't race to the bottom for saturation in market share or be affected by samsung saturating the inevitable remaining larger market.

apple are a Premium product company. being a CONSUMER company, doesn't mean you sacrifice premium. its about premium pro and consumer electronics.

i trust tim cook and apple. i dont trust that tim cook can withstand persuasion of others but he clearly understands apples philosophy based on the interviews i've seen.

iPad Mini, still an expensive premium product, lends me much faith they haven't lost this philosophy yet. they will however if they start releasing plastic ipads.

Apple will never be cheap, that's for sure. No one said that the 'cheap' iPhone will be aimed for lower end market, you will never see Apple release a $200 iPhone. It's aimed for the mid-tier market which they already cater to using last year and the previous year models.

It is very likely this phone will have a 4 inch screen but an A5 processor, just like the 4s, and will hover around the price 4s will have in September. I don't get what the big deal is.
 
I do feel that the release of such a plasticky phone will depreciate the value of Tim and Jony's frequent comments about apple only doing amazing and great products.

Every iPhone keynote strongly plugs the quality of the materials used to make the phone, and the incredible focus on subtleties of design.

If they release this, that kinda all gets forgotten. Is apple really ready to do that, after spending these last few years persuading us that their dedication to material design sets them apart from other phone manufacturers?

The response on here is further testament to the potential reduction in customer perception of the brand.
Yes, it is quite reasonable to respond to criticism by saying "if you don't like it, don't buy it", but Apple depends greatly on its brand perception, particularly in current times where features both software and hardware are being innovated by other companies.

And the iPhone is apple's flagship product. They really need to get this right.
 
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