Walmart Drops iPhone 5c Pricing to $45 On Contract Through the Holidays

[paysdoufs]

Source or anecdotes? Where is your "most people" statement coming from? Is it just your gut feeling?

It's a rapidly evolving market, not only in Germany (this poster) but also in France (me) and the UK (somewhere earlier in the thread); that's 200 Mio consumers:

1) In Europe, mobile telephony is a freaking commodity nowadays. It's mainly sold through aggressive pricing. For example, 4G is basically being offered for free since no carrier has the power to substantially hike its prices for it.

2) People now know all too well that the subsidies for a new phone are baked into more expensive monthly rates and the obligation to stay with the carrier for two years. Instead, they can now go for "bring your one phone" deals that are roughly 3-4x less expensive each month - with complete freedom to change carriers whenever you want (while still keeping your number). In France, for example, these deals have captured >20% of market share in 15 months.

3) Everyone is used to see the price of flagship phones decrease rapidly, either online or in "real" stores (MediaMarkt, etc.). For example, the Galaxy S4 can now be found at 460 EUR while is was launched at 700 (?) EUR not that long ago. This is not happening with iPhones: The 5c 32 Go (I, personally, am not interested in any 16 Go smartphone) has been priced at 699 EUR/950 USD !!! That's a ridiculous price compared to its competitors and (while it may sustain resale value) prices Apple completely out of the market of all buyers looking for an unlocked phone since everyone knows that they won't change this price.

We have two iPhone 4 in our household we would like to replace (plus some more iOS devices and a MBP) but it is out of the question to get an unlocked 5c (or 5s) at the current price points. We're by no means poor, but we can do some basic maths (like many others). And that's why Apple, IMHO, got it terribly wrong with the 5c...

EDIT 1: AND everyone reading a bit knows that the 5c is basically a cheaper-to-produce version of last year's 5 w/o any reduction in price.
EDIT 2: Two posts up it's also confirmed for Australia.

 

[MacDav]

Okay, Now I really really won't get one.

 

[iSayuSay]

Just as I thought. For the price, most people would just forget 5c and aim for the 5s.. So

Price reduction = weak demand
Sinple economy

 

[69650]

I was a bit surprised they didn't drop the 4s and go with a 2-phone strategy (having a "free"/$450 version of the 5c). Maybe this is the first step along in that process. The 5s has enough differentiation to prevent cannibalization. Maybe Apple needs to make a little more of a volume play with the 5c.

I suspect that next year they will introduce the iPhone 6, drop the 4s and lower the price of the 5c to replace it as the entry level iPhone. It still won't be cheap as there's no profit in making cheap phones but it will probably be a bit cheaper than it is now.

Apple seems to like doing things in 3's so I don't expect them to change that policy with the iPhone.

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We're by no means poor, but we can do some basic maths (like many others). And that's why Apple, IMHO, got it terribly wrong with the 5c.

Bit early to conclude that. If they have priced it too high then they'll never admit that. They'll just lower the price they sell it to the networks so they can offer better deals which is what they've been doing with the 4 and 4s.

Personally I'd rather pay a bit extra and get the 5s. Either way Apple wins as they keep selling iPhones faster than they can make them, all at high margins.

 

[JulesK]

A great deal for part of the market

I just picked up two 16GB 5c's for my parents at Best Buy, at the new lower price. After I sell my dad's old 4, it will be a wash, and both phones are going to be way more than enough for both of them for the next 3 years, easy. I have a 5S, and, yes, it's a great phone, but it's a lot more than what a lot of people need, and a very cheap but very capable (if not bleeding edge) iPhone is perfect for a big segment of the market. The 5S isn't "that" much more than the 5c, but for two phones, that's a $300 difference. It was the difference between not upgrading, and upgrading since the cost was essentially free and my parents aren't moving carriers in the next two years.

I know that many folks here disparage the 5c as just a re-packaging of the 5, but it's a very nice phone. Were it not for the 5S, I'd be thrilled with it at $50 (or $150 for the 32GB model). My view is that once you put the phone in a case, all that jewel-like casing doesn't really mean much. I personally feel that both the 5S and the 5c are too small and slippery to be used easily without a case. I'd drop either with some frequency without a case to provide more grip.

The price drop is great. Free would have been better, but we needed new phones now.

 

[Alphabetize]

Just after the 5c and 5s iPhones were announced, ATT brought the price of the 5 down to $100, and refurbished iPhone 5 models to just $50. I wasn't a big fan of the 5c design, so I was lucky enough to get an iPhone 5 at an even cheaper price for a very limited time.

 

[saud0488]

you preceded that with two opinions of your own.

ehh...maybe one. Not too many would argue that the leather looks less professional than a bunch of dots

 

[MH01]

Yes, the iPhone 5C is LITERALLY identical to the iPhone 5.

Except it doesn't bend when you sit on it.
And it doesn't scratch up as easily.
And it has a new front-facing camera with improved image capture.
And it has a new LTE radio that supports more frequencies on more carriers.
And it has a larger battery.
And it has a selection of uniquely-designed, official cases from Apple.
And it comes in 5 different colors.
And it has a rounded back that many find more pleasing to hold.

But other than that, the iPhone 5C is identical to the iPhone 5.

Literally.

The iPhone 6 will blow your mind, if those are such huge differences for you.

Are you the guy that started a thread that iPhones bend after your mate sat on one?? That's moronic human error and not a design fault !

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It's a rapidly evolving market, not only in Germany (this poster) but also in France (me) and the UK (somewhere earlier in the thread); that's 200 Mio consumers:

1) In Europe, mobile telephony is a freaking commodity nowadays. It's mainly sold through aggressive pricing. For example, 4G is basically being offered for free since no carrier has the power to substantially hike its prices for it.

4g is a ripoff in the uk. EE plans are some of the worst value I have seen offered by a telco. Right now they are trying to milk the first gen of users.

 

[sofila]

It's a rapidly evolving market, not only in Germany (this poster) but also in France (me) and the UK (somewhere earlier in the thread); that's 200 Mio consumers:

I agree with your whole post. Mobile phones market in Europe it's very different and Apple seems to not recognise it (see unlocked phone prices)

 

[Born Again]

Well. Since he slammed the door, I guess this debate is over.

Seriously though... Apple isn't offering the discount. The stores that want you to WALK INTO THEIR BRICK & MORTAR locations are the ones offering these discounts. There is a huge difference. I wouldn't be concerned until Apple starts offering the discounts themselves, which they won't because it's selling just fine.

As for all the other trolls... I understand you may have a preference for the 5s over the 5c, or maybe even Android over the 5c, but why not just let it do its own thing in the marketplace? Your personal opinions that are based on wrong assumptions just make you look dumb. It doesn't make Apple look bad at all.

This is a discussion where people discuss

 

[apfeljonas]

Source or anecdotes? Where is your "most people" statement coming from? Is it just your gut feeling?

http://www.mandmglobal.com/news/02-07-13/samsung-drives-androids-70-market-share-acros.aspx

Android is at a 70% market share in Europe, iOS is only at 17.8%. A lot of that is due to iPhones being ridiculously overpriced over here, you can get an S4 for around 490 Euros while the comparable iPhone (the 5s) starts at 699 Euros. Plenty of people here buy the phone unlocked and then use it with a month to month no obligation type of mobile phone plan.

iPhones used to be priced reasonably here, 629 Euros as a starting price when the 4s came out was fine.

I'm not saying Apple should match Samsungs prices but they definetly should bring their prices more in line in Europe. Bringing the top-of-the-line back down to 629 and lowering the mid-range models price would do a lot. Also note that production costs haven't risen, nor has sales tax, so the 70 Euro price increase over the last 2 generations really has no justification.

 

[iSayuSay]

http://www.mandmglobal.com/news/02-07-13/samsung-drives-androids-70-market-share-acros.aspx

Android is at a 70% market share in Europe, iOS is only at 17.8%. A lot of that is due to iPhones being ridiculously overpriced over here, you can get an S4 for around 490 Euros while the comparable iPhone (the 5s) starts at 699 Euros. Plenty of people here buy the phone unlocked and then use it with a month to month no obligation type of mobile phone plan.

iPhones used to be priced reasonably here, 629 Euros as a starting price when the 4s came out was fine.

I'm not saying Apple should match Samsungs prices but they definetly should bring their prices more in line in Europe. Bringing the top-of-the-line back down to 629 and lowering the mid-range models price would do a lot. Also note that production costs haven't risen, nor has sales tax, so the 70 Euro price increase over the last 2 generations really has no justification.

Agreed. Here in Asia where I live, iPhone pricing also considerably getting higher by each iteration. Most people here buy our phone upright. So people feel the effect immediately. Funny thing is the last year's iPhone barely gets any discount, and the newer iPhone is getting more and more expensive. And no, it's not about inflation.

What's wrong with the iPhone? Apple price it the same every year. Really really unfair if you ask me.

 

[mac00l]

Plus there is also the psychology involved in premium products. That is something that Cook got wrong.

When you buy something and is more expensive than the rest of the products, in a sense you get the feeling that you are getting a better product. Sometimes its true, some others is not. In the case of the iPhone it is.

Then it comes the iPhone 5C. Its not cheaper enough than the 5S to compete in a different category, so instead of people thinking that it is a better device than comparable devices in its price range, they only think of how inferior it is to the 5S.

Having the 5C in the $400 range, would have been a completely different story, even if some feats had to be sacrifice. People would think that it still is more expensive than phones in the 300-400 price range, but heck, is an iPhone!!!