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The 5C experiment

Italianblend

Italianblend

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 21, 2011
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So, the iPhone 5c came out only two short years ago and is no longer being sold.

I personally never owned this phone, but my wife did and is trading hers in for a 6S.

But, I was thinking about the iPhone 5c experiment, and it's a step that I really enjoyed seeing Apple take. Yes, I know it was just a replacement for the iPhone 5. But I think it was done with a bit of color, and perhaps (I can't believe I'm saying this) a slight hint of humility. I think for Apple to release a plastic phone without in any way trying to hide that it was plastic, and to add many color choices, really was something that I enjoy and agreed with.

I will personally miss seeing such colorful phones even if they were plastic. I think it added some brightness to our lives and some color in an otherwise bland landscape of white and black (and now gold).

I'm curious as to what your feelings about the iPhone 5c are. I simply can't believe the phone is four generations old already. Do you think Apple ever go this route again? Releasing several shades of colorful phones in a cheaper plastic model that appeal to users on a budget and perhaps younger users? Or, are we destined to forever get our colors from cases? (Which many of us don't even need/use).
 
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I thought it was a great move by Apple to offer a bit more "variety" for those who didn't want the old iPhone 5, but couldn't afford/didn't want/etc. the 5s. Android offers so many choices, so for Apple to step in with a "mid-range" device, that was a smart move. I didn't know many people who purchased one, but to me, I would've purchased one if I wasn't a heavy smartphone user or wanted the latest and greatest device. I think many people were sold by the color choices, though. I definitely saw a lot of blues and pinks when I was out in public. I'd like to see Apple come back with the same kind of thing (6C or 7C, maybe?). Perhaps adding in touch ID and a few other features. This time though, I think it would sell many more due to its size. The biggest complaint I've heard from the 6/6s is that "it's too big". Many people are looking for a 4 or 5 sized phone from Apple.
 
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Italianblend said:
So, the iPhone 5c came out only two short years ago and is no longer being sold.

I personally never owned this phone, but my wife did and is trading hers in for a 6S.

But, I was thinking about the iPhone 5c experiment, and it's a step that I really enjoyed seeing Apple take. Yes, I know it was just a replacement for the iPhone 5. But I think it was done with a bit of color, and perhaps (I can't believe I'm saying this) a slight hint of humility. I think for Apple to release a plastic phone without in any way trying to hide that it was plastic, and to add many color choices, really was something that I enjoy and agreed with.

I will personally miss seeing such colorful phones even if they were plastic. I think it added some brightness to our lives and some color in an otherwise bland landscape of white and black (and now gold).

I'm curious as to what your feelings about the iPhone 5c are. I simply can't believe the phone is four generations old already. Do you think Apple ever go this route again? Releasing several shades of colorful phones in a cheaper plastic model that appeal to users on a budget and perhaps younger users? Or, are we destined to forever get our colors from cases? (Which many of us don't even need/use).
Click to expand...

Maybe they'll do it again, but only in 2017 when the iPhone 7 is a year old. The "iPhone 6sc Plus" doesn't roll off the tongue very well. I dread having to explain to people what an "iPhone Successy" is. :p
 
kupkakez said:
It was my favorite phone. I also had a 5s and would swap between them. Personally I loved the plastic back. Sure it didn't look super attractive but it felt really good in the hand to use.
Click to expand...

This. I've owned every model, and it was my favorite. The in-hand feel, the sturdiness, the weight/size ratio, was unmatched IMO. I wish people didn't get so serious about it being made with plastic, it even did away with the ugly antennae lines. I was hoping for a 6C announcement, lol.
 
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Italianblend said:
So, the iPhone 5c came out only two short years ago and is no longer being sold.

I personally never owned this phone, but my wife did and is trading hers in for a 6S.

But, I was thinking about the iPhone 5c experiment, and it's a step that I really enjoyed seeing Apple take. Yes, I know it was just a replacement for the iPhone 5. But I think it was done with a bit of color, and perhaps (I can't believe I'm saying this) a slight hint of humility. I think for Apple to release a plastic phone without in any way trying to hide that it was plastic, and to add many color choices, really was something that I enjoy and agreed with.

I will personally miss seeing such colorful phones even if they were plastic. I think it added some brightness to our lives and some color in an otherwise bland landscape of white and black (and now gold).

I'm curious as to what your feelings about the iPhone 5c are. I simply can't believe the phone is four generations old already. Do you think Apple ever go this route again? Releasing several shades of colorful phones in a cheaper plastic model that appeal to users on a budget and perhaps younger users? Or, are we destined to forever get our colors from cases? (Which many of us don't even need/use).
Click to expand...
Well they did sugarcoat the plastic. Remember Jony describing it as "unapologetically plastic" and "polycarbonate"?

I also liked the way the phone felt. I'm not sure if we'll see plastic again, but it seems like new colors are added every "S" generation to keep things interesting. Product Red, anyone? Nah, too much profit would be donated!
 
The 5C is going down as my favorite cell phone ever. It was the right size, 32GB, my color of green, and it got a bad wrap because it wasn't everything it could have been, but it was just enough for me. Is there a market out there for colorful, less professional looking cell phones? Probably not, not after the ripping and hatred we got in this forum site...but I maintain that the 5C will be my most memorable phone...I even rented all my cars for business trips in Lime green to match my phone for a few years.
 
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I think it is unlikely, but if we ever see a similar phone again, or at least in the near future, it will be alongside the iPhone 7 as a smaller screened replacement for the 5S that will be due to be discontinued then.
 
I liked the concept, Though greatly overpriced compare to the regular 5.

Also so very very few in the wild.
 
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I always figured they did it because of supply constraints on the touch ID sensor, trying to divert some demand from people who just want something "new" without having to stick a touch ID sensor in it. They may have discontinued it because it diverted demand *too* well.
 
It was a HUGE hit with the teen crowd. Every single kid who came into have their parents upgrade them wanted the 5C.


I always felt, that for an Apple product, it felt a little too slick and slippery in the hand
 
I didn't mind the plastic (I remember the look and feel of my iPhone 3GS fondly) and I liked the colours, but didn't like the lower specifications compared with the 5S and didn't feel that the price difference was big enough to make it worth that.
 
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I actually though the 5c was a great phone and did its job in 2013 and 2014. I think it was a good mid teir model in 2013 with the 4s in the low end. Also in 2014 it was a good low end option. I liked the colors and risk Apple took. I really hope they make an iPhone 6c in 2016.
 
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It didn't sell very well. That's why Apple canned it. What they did instead was reduce the price of previous gen iPhones.

Italianblend said:
So, the iPhone 5c came out only two short years ago and is no longer being sold.

I personally never owned this phone, but my wife did and is trading hers in for a 6S.

But, I was thinking about the iPhone 5c experiment, and it's a step that I really enjoyed seeing Apple take. Yes, I know it was just a replacement for the iPhone 5. But I think it was done with a bit of color, and perhaps (I can't believe I'm saying this) a slight hint of humility. I think for Apple to release a plastic phone without in any way trying to hide that it was plastic, and to add many color choices, really was something that I enjoy and agreed with.

I will personally miss seeing such colorful phones even if they were plastic. I think it added some brightness to our lives and some color in an otherwise bland landscape of white and black (and now gold).

I'm curious as to what your feelings about the iPhone 5c are. I simply can't believe the phone is four generations old already. Do you think Apple ever go this route again? Releasing several shades of colorful phones in a cheaper plastic model that appeal to users on a budget and perhaps younger users? Or, are we destined to forever get our colors from cases? (Which many of us don't even need/use).
Click to expand...
 
pragmatous said:
It didn't sell very well. That's why Apple canned it. What they did instead was reduce the price of previous gen iPhones.
Click to expand...
That's what they've always done with the exception of the first gen iPhone, for some reason with the 5 they decided to replace it with the 5C. My guess is the materials for the 5 kept their profit margin lower than they would like so they changed. I've seen a lot of 5C's around, so I think they did sell fairly well the problem was the rumors were that it was going to be a cheaper iPhone so people were expecting it to be below the 4S in price, and then it took the midrange spot so people who were wanting a cheaper iPhone didn't get it.
 
Trickhot3102 said:
Also in 2014 it was a good low end option.
Click to expand...
I don't think it was a good low end option after September 2014 when they limited the size to 8 GB. I would not recommend an 8 GB phone to anyone.

I was kind of surprised Apple didn't upgrade the "c" model at all. Was expecting an upgraded 4 inch phone with a plastic case. I still wouldn't put it past Apple to release a phone like that before next year's announcement, but I am sure that is unlikely.
 
My wife has a 5C and still loves it, Green w/ Yellow cover. I currently have a 6+ and am upgrading to the 6S+ offered to let her take the 6+ and she said now way, I love this phone you'll have to pry it out of my cold dead hands. It does exactly what she need it to do and holds everything she expects it to so it works for her.
 
Good idea, too expensive. Even now I'd like to pick up a cheap one for someone and they are still too expensive by 15-20%.
 
I was an android user before and 5c was my first iOS phone and there's no turning back to android now. 5c completely converted me.
 
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