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Tim Cook: iPhone 5c Wasn't Meant to Be an Entry-Level Phone
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I'm on T-mobile, their site lists $49 down for a total of $549, but even at $500 that's way too much for that phone. They sell the Galaxy S4 for not much more than that. For around the price of the 4s I could get an S3.
So any recommendations for a good android phone on T-mobile in the 350-400 range?
Next year:
5c goes free
5sc (5c shell, 5s innards, Touch ID, etc.) at $99/199
6 at $249/349/449
Not a mistake there - I'm betting they'll raise the price on the "high end" model next year. They set the precedent this year with the retina iPad Mini.
I got this.....
the 5C is not an entry smartphone, but a way for some people to get a hand in Apple tech......
the 5C is not an entry smartphone, but a way for some people to get a hand in Apple tech......
Now they just look silly. Selling last years phone in a plastic case isn't entry level? Of course it is, they just hoped that everyone was too stupid to notice.
The logical move would have been to keep the iPhone 5 as the entry-level model, the 5c as the mid-level model and the 5s as the flagship iPhone.
Apple doesn't seem to want to work on their ability to attract a broader international audience by introducing a low-cost unlocked iPhone (less than $300). With contract plans in the US going away and pay as you go being more popular around the world, it would make sense to introduce a new low end iPhone or even just a cheaper, unlocked 4s for world use. Obviously their financial reporting suggests that their is no incentive for them to do this but for them to remain competitive around the world, they need to compete with the low cost smartphone market.
Apple doesn't seem to want to work on their ability to attract a broader international audience by introducing a low-cost unlocked iPhone (less than $300). With contract plans in the US going away and pay as you go being more popular around the world, it would make sense to introduce a new low end iPhone or even just a cheaper, unlocked 4s for world use. Obviously their financial reporting suggests that their is no incentive for them to do this but for them to remain competitive around the world, they need to compete with the low cost smartphone market.
I maybe have been tempted to pay a $250 contract price had they offered it with 64GB memory and even a slight processor speed bump.
Oh well... I still got a 4S, and it runs fine. No purpose in upgrading and wasting money. IMHO, neither the 5C or 5S are worth the upgrade.
Oh well... I still got a 4S, and it runs fine. No purpose in upgrading and wasting money. IMHO, neither the 5C or 5S are worth the upgrade.
Apple's business is selling premium hardware at high margin. Selling Apple quality phones at $300 or less just dilutes margins without growing earnings - revenues go up, but profits grow a lot less if at all. Again and again, no one has shown how Apple could build a $300 phone and sell it at a high margin without cannibalizing its high margin business.
You really think it would have been logical to sell a phone that cost significantly more to make for significantly less money?It's pretty obvious Apple will just drop the 4S and add a new iPhone 6; the iPhone 5c and the 5s will be unchanged (both will offer multiple storage sizes)
This is one predication I hope is wrong: the "high end" phone price.
Verily!
I agree with the iPad thing; $399 is way way too much for a 16gb iPad 2.
But as far as the whole phone argument, I'll even drop the whole Free debate, but for the iPhone 5C to be free, why do you say that?
You make it sound like they've always previously made the replaced generation free, but they never EVER did that. They're doing exactly what they've always done, except upgrading the replaced generation a little bit.
If they just had the iPhone 5 still, would you expect them to make that free? Or would it make sense to you that they made it $100 compared to the $200 5S?
And also, the iPod Classic...
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Yes, tell the iPhone 3G all about how the black model had an anodized finish... on plastic.
There's no reason the 5c couldn't have been a black model. It's not anodized; it's colored plastic.
Makes no sense. How is the 5 (with arguably better materials and the same-ish internals) lower end than the 5c?
I agree. Honestly, the way I see the White 5C is reminiscent of the 3GS
I don't see why they didn't do black, would have been similar to the 3G, just longer, and that way alone should have been cool enough to make the cut.
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You say "same-ish internals" - do you know what that means?
I mean, do you know the difference between the internals?
I would assume you would, but then at the same time you're asking how the 5C is better, so I'm confused.
They probably just wanted the lineup to be bright.
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The 5c has basically the same internal hardware as the original 5, save for an improved front-facing camera and a higher-capacity battery.
Look, a lot of us have multiple older mobile devices and some 30-pin speakerdocks to go with them. So we get a little more use of them, that's all. What's the big deal. If you don't need your 30-pin stuff any more, great.
I'll clean house when I finally hand my 4S down to someone else, but there's no hand-me-down-now police outside my door. The 4S is now WiFi only for me, since I'm using a 5C for my phone, but so what, the 4S works great and Apple obviously still supports it.
There's a difference between discontinuing something and no longer supporting it. Apple has always managed to negotiate that zone pretty well, imo.
It's true that I won't miss having to carry two sets of cables around w/ me when I finally give up the last of my 30-pin goodies.
Look, a lot of us have multiple older mobile devices and some 30-pin speakerdocks to go with them. So we get a little more use of them, that's all. What's the big deal. If you don't need your 30-pin stuff any more, great.
I'll clean house when I finally hand my 4S down to someone else, but there's no hand-me-down-now police outside my door. The 4S is now WiFi only for me, since I'm using a 5C for my phone, but so what, the 4S works great and Apple obviously still supports it.
There's a difference between discontinuing something and no longer supporting it. Apple has always managed to negotiate that zone pretty well, imo.
It's true that I won't miss having to carry two sets of cables around w/ me when I finally give up the last of my 30-pin goodies.
Hey! I don't have anything against the 30-pin, in fact, I love the 30-pin.
(The 4S is still my favorite phone so far.
AND I use a 30-pin dock in my car for my iPod Touch, which is why I can't buy anything past the 4th generation.)I do, however, think they're getting to the last straws with the 30-pin and have a very big opportunity to kill it off if they'd like, although I don't think the 4S should be killed off this year at all.
Right. I dunno why I quoted your post with the other one. Must be low blood sugar and time for lunch.
One issue with the 30-pin gear that still works with my older external accessories is that they get the job done, so I haven't shopped for externals for the Lightning gear. And I do keep getting annoyed when I take the newer iPod touch upstairs with me thinking to plug it into the dock upstairs for some charge-and-pley time. At some point I have to open wallet for at least one newer speakerdock or else just decide to go wireless-only. I have become fond of charging while listening, so switching to wireless-only would make me learn to plug the device in before turning on bluetooth... etc etc. Old dog, new tricks, can be done but it's a PITA. I love delegating routine stuff to my brain stem.
Right. I dunno why I quoted your post with the other one. Must be low blood sugar and time for lunch.
And I do keep getting annoyed when I take the newer iPod touch upstairs with me thinking to plug it into the dock upstairs for some charge-and-pley time. At some point I have to open wallet for at least one newer speakerdock or else just decide to go wireless-only. I have become fond of charging while listening, so switching to wireless-only would make me learn to plug the device in before turning on bluetooth... etc etc. Old dog, new tricks, can be done but it's a PITA. I love delegating routine stuff to my brain stem.
I'm the same way
I have no lightning accessories
And I'm so used to having my dock in my car as a "phone backup" to charge my phone too if needed. Now I need to use an external USB to car plug with a lightning cable to charge my phone. More work, but necessary at the moment. I want a radio with Bluetooth and USB though soon.
Not only that but many stores are depending on the 30 pin connector for credit card readers etc. POS manufacturers are supporting ipad 2 like no other.
Big difference between absolutely free and a free phone + 2 year contract commitment. AKA, that phone is anything but free.
I'll give you my ipad 3 for free, you just have to pay me $30 per month for 2 years
Injection-molded crayola color plastic is definitely cheaper than precision machined anodized aluminum.
Whether or not people like the color plastic is a matter of personal preference; it is not evidence that plastic isn't cheap compared to aluminum.
Big difference between absolutely free and a free phone + 2 year contract commitment. AKA, that phone is anything but free.
I'll give you my ipad 3 for free, you just have to pay me $30 per month for 2 years
The phone itself is free
The service isn't
Do you think that you're paying for the service with the phone?
When you buy an iPhone 5S for 200+ do you not have to still pay for service every month?
I never knew that..~~~