Possible Photos of Plastic Rear Shell from Apple's Lower-Cost iPhone [Updated]

[szw-mapple fan]

Was the 3G and 3Gs cheap and ugly?

The color is horrible (IMO) but other than that it just look like a 5 with a case on. I'm buying if the form factor is this.

EDIT: and yes the 3 and 3gs is a bit ugly by today's standard. But it was the king back in the day. That's the way it is with design; they are meant to be replaced with better ones.

 

[iConcept]

QR Code

Can anyone get a decent enough capture of the QR Code printed in the inside to find out what it leads to?

I personally think this is fake as hell, if Apple were releasing a red version it would be (Product) Red, not the orange-red shown in the image. I vote cheap knock-offs.

 

[champ01]

Lower cost iPhone because.....

Apple want's more marketshare or..

Apple believes lower quality is better?

What do you think Apple's goal is?

Selling less crap or more crap?

Apple said they weren't about selling the most then tell me what the .... this low cost iPhone is.


New iJunk in stores soon.

 

[Piggie]

The future may well be, and I believe it's almost possible now, a colour programmable plastic. Where you could send some electrical signal to the material and it will change colour.

Can you imagine how people would wow over being able to do that, change the colour of your case by selecting a colour on screen.

There is talk about paint that can change colour.

Be it 5 or 10 years away, but it's probable going to come in time as it would make logical sense to build one model with one case the customer can change.

Anyone here think if this tech was out, the customer should not be able to change the colour of their case in this way?

 

[Wicked1]

Interested to see what the specs are that will make it a lower cost iPhone, considering the 4 and 4S have that place now and they are decent phones.

Would have made more sense just to take the 4S and remodel it as the lower cost iPhone and maybe add LTE to it, but we will see what Apple does by the end of this year.

I just hope the rumors are true that maybe by early next year the 6 will be out with a larger screen, I really am not in the mood to wait until October 2014 for the next version.

 

[Tysknaden]

Iveish colors

The thingies will not have a price as low, as their looks suggest. This is good. It will prevent them from becoming thrown away accidently or out of a mood - which would harm environment.

 

[peterdevries]

I personally think this is fake as hell, if Apple were releasing a red version it would be (Product) Red, not the orange-red shown in the image. I vote cheap knock-offs.

There is no way to tell if they are real or not. They might be prototype cases before a colour scheme is decided.

 

[OutSpoken]

Well I believe this.

Get ready for some colourful plastic iPhones come September/October

 

[robertosh]

"We are proudly to announce our brand new Low Cost iPhone" (the crowd screams)

Bad move for Apple,

 

[AlbertEinstein]

Black tie is optional.

 

[Cmdrx3]

Well it certainly looks like someone has went to town with the ugly stick.

 

[Arran]

I think they're real. The innards will be high quality (repackaged iPhone 5?), but the outside has to look unappealing to Apple's profitable high spenders. For Apple's plan to work, those customers must reject it and continue to buy the more expensive 'classy' model. Conversely, the price-sensitive customers will grab these and thank Jesus they can now afford an iPhone. Color? Who cares! Market segmentation at work.

It's the same ploy Honda used with the low-priced Element at launch. Under the skin it's classic Honda quality, but Honda had to bolt on ugly body panels to deter downmarket defections from their more profitable CRV and Pilot vehicles

Me, I'd buy one and put a case on it

 

[chadley_chad]

Plan one: ditch any atempt to make an S4 or HTC One competitor
Plan two: make OS look similar to Android and Windows
Plan three: make cheap Nokia looking phones
Plan four: leak pictures
Plan five: get sheep excited



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And all those who called the plastic back of the Samsung (with exclamations of Apple quality) disappear back into their cave, embarrassed and hoping no one reads their previous posts!

 

[Tech198]

low cost ??

Apple's all about fashion, more or less, then they bring out a plastic housing.....

I guess its good, if it just all visual, and not a Chinese kock-off to make it cheaper. (although that's always possible, i doubt it). Apple could do this to make it even cheaper, that's probably going into the "grey" area.

If it works, then its probably good... And with the plastic, you'd need a case...
This is something you wouldn't wanna show off.


*I never thought i'd be saying that about an Apple product* First time for everything.

 

[Taipan]

If if you do want to play the game, then I say this: the canopy of a f-22 is made from the same plastic.

Well, when an F-22 drops, it doesn't really matter whether the canopy cracks or not...

 

[Bonte]

I am guessing fake considering it is missing the fcc and regulatory place holder.

I guess that is printed on together with the serial number?

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There is no way to tell if they are real or not. They might be prototype cases before a colour scheme is decided.

Yeah, the colors don't seem finished, neon isn't really a Apple color.

 

[Supermule]

You must be ********** kidding me.

You must be ********** kidding me. Its looks like some cheap stuff from ToysR'us. If they are going to use that kind of chemical colors, then please make them matt not shiny!

 

[Azathoth]

I still don't "get" the clamouring for Apple to make a "low cost" iPhone.

Here in the UK, the iPhone 4 is free on most networks for as low as £21 per month. How much cheaper than FREE do people want? Of course, people will argue that they're wanting a higher spec iPhone, cheaper on Sim Free.

I was unsure if you were writing that sarcastically or whether you really are that uninformed (to put it mildly). Those normally come with a 24 month contract - hence over the life of the contract that's 21 GBP/mo*24mo = 504 GBP.

Hardly 'free'.

FWIW though the backs in the original post look really low quality.

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I guess that is printed on together with the serial number?

Or maybe no need for FCC sticker if not marketed in an area where FCC has any juristiction, e.g. China.

 

[sclawis300]

A plastic tank would melt, so there's a melting point issue right there. Also, plastic is flammable. A phone should hopefully not cause any plastic to melt or ignite.

I would honestly love a phone in some cool color. The options in the industry are generally "boring black" and "generic white." Part of me wishes more companies would think like Nokia. Not only are the phone designs on the Lumia line very original and really cool (and sturdy as hell if you've ever used one), the color options are awesome. Neon red phone? Why not! Fluorescent yellow your thing? Sure! I really like the bright color options and, as a big fan of laguna seca blue, I'd buy the hell out of an iPhone if it came in a bright blue.

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Actually, there's research being done into plastic and composite armor for tanks. There's a whole field of infantry fighting vehicles that could greatly benefit from a material that's more impact and bullet resistant than steel or alloys but, due to its plastic nature, is much lighter. Besides, most modern tank armor is ceramic interlaced with composites anyway.

I get your point, but don't misunderestimate plastics as strong viable materials. Strong polycarb is a wonderful feeling material on a consumer electronic. Just because Samsung uses the same plastic that lego does to make their bricks doesn't mean all plastic is cheap and flimsy.

Shouldn't you guys be craving a carbon fiber phone?

 

[No5tromo]

Looks like something 13 year old girls would appreciate, pretty much like iOS7.

 

[bushido]

I was unsure if you were writing that sarcastically or whether you really are that uninformed (to put it mildly). Those normally come with a 24 month contract - hence over the life of the contract that's 21 GBP/mo*24mo = 504 GBP.

Hardly 'free'.

FWIW though the backs in the original post look really low quality.

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I guess that is printed on together with the serial number?

Or maybe no need for FCC sticker if not marketed in an area where FCC has any juristiction, e.g. China.

it is free ... kinda, considering u already have the services included instead of buying it on top of the price of the device. thats how im always doing it.

i make a contract on a 3rd party provider not directly at one of the big three (tmobile, vodafone ...)

1€ for the iPhone 5 + 29€ a month (including unlimited text, 200 minutes i never use and unlimited data) = 696€ after 2 years. The iPhone at Apple alone is like 649€ so i basically pay 2€ a month for data, text, calls instead of paying like 20€ a month on top of the phone price.

did the same with my iPad 3. 169€ + 11€ a month for data instead of 749€ for the iPad alone

 

[Tysknaden]

Looks like something 13 year old girls would appreciate, pretty much like iOS7.

Definitely not. The limit is 15 years.
And if they're selling this hot device for not more than two hundred bucks... I would consider buying one, too. And I am 48 years of age and male. With iOS7 running, every device will miss my taste, anyway.
(They should use transparent plastic - like on the old iMacs. This would be much more cool. I think, I even could like it!)
The material itself is no problem for me. A phone does not need a breakable or heavy back. And some sorts if plastic are very durable and everything but junk. I do remember many times, when having a touchdown with cycle on icy and rocky ways, when the first or second thing was checking the iPhone 4's condition. A lot if suspense for a person, who has an unwealthy phase.
Do you know what? - I have to stop; otherwise, I will make myself hungry for buying this excellent device

 

[Lefteous]

Nothing against colors but these are ugly. Some kind of grey, white, black or dark-blue would be my favorites.

Thumbs up for human-palm-compatible shape though

 

[Elit3]

Yes, Samsung are stupid for having a cheaper range... This is cheap like iPod nano vs iPad touch cheap, not ferrari vs lower end Nissan cheap (BTW the Nissan Vera is about $12,000 and is the cheapest in the US)

Yes but, it is plastic, didn't Apple come out when us (Australia) questioned them about high mark ups, and they basically said "Customers know that they are getting premium if they buy Apple", this is taking away from that statement, I really am sick of Apple turning around on itself, it isn't good, turns away customers.

 

[Taipan]

I was unsure if you were writing that sarcastically or whether you really are that uninformed (to put it mildly). Those normally come with a 24 month contract - hence over the life of the contract that's 21 GBP/mo*24mo = 504 GBP.

Hardly 'free'.

Subtract from those 504 GBP the price of the low cost phone, let's say 200 GBP (might be more), divide it by 24 and you have 12,67 GBP per month to spend for actually using your iPhone, if you want to be better off. I don't know British data plans, but that doesn't seem a lot to me.