Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Will a cheaper iPhone damage Apple's reputation?

A

AdzProductions

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 16, 2011
18
0
I have just been thinking this:

I have always considered Apple an extremely up market company, does this mean that with the release of a cheaper iPhone along side the iPhone 5 we will see Apple’s reputation being damaged due to their normal appeal to a more up market crowd?
 
I am going to have to agree on this one.

The iPhone is a bit of a status symbol, if everyone can afford one then that status symbol will quickly disappear.

Just my $0.02
 
Back in the stone ages apple offered less expensive iPods which did not damage its reputation. Additionally consider the Mac Mini a very affordable mac computer and one that is very popular.

Having a less expensive iPhone will only provide a new customer base increasing apple's revenue stream without sacrificing the intangibles of being apple
 
kmanmx said:
I am going to have to agree on this one.

The iPhone is a bit of a status symbol, if everyone can afford one then that status symbol will quickly disappear.

Just my $0.02
Click to expand...


I have to say that I sort of agree with this. But Apple wants to sell as many as they can , so that's would mean lowering the price. Especially to compete with those Android thingys.
 
This false reality you are building with this 'elite' symbol is laughable. Apple is a business. Their quarterly earnings is the only reputation I care about and that just keeps breaking new ground every year.
 
Spectrum Abuser said:
This false reality you are building with this 'elite' symbol is laughable. Apple is a business. Their quarterly earnings is the only reputation I care about and that just keeps breaking new ground every year.
Click to expand...

To you it's laughable. To the public it is an elite brand. There's a reason rappers talk about driving Lamborghinis and using iPhones. It's the same reason Beats headphones sell well. They may not be anything special in sound (the headphones), but they're something you can show off to your friend.
 
kmanmx said:
I am going to have to agree on this one.

The iPhone is a bit of a status symbol, if everyone can afford one then that status symbol will quickly disappear.

Just my $0.02
Click to expand...

I guess u dont live in Asia! Here in Asia when people have really low income they still manage to get the latest iPhone and I'm not lying at all. Especially in China! (They buy real deal really and not the fake ones)
 
AdzProductions said:
I have just been thinking this:

I have always considered Apple an extremely up market company, does this mean that with the release of a cheaper iPhone along side the iPhone 5 we will see Apple’s reputation being damaged due to their normal appeal to a more up market crowd?
Click to expand...

Contrary to popular belief most people don't buy something electronic because its considered "expensive" or "high end", they buy it for function. A cheaper iPhone isn't going to hurt Apple at all. If anything it will make them more accessible to more consumers.
 
aziatiklover said:
I guess u dont live in Asia! Here in Asia when people have really low income they still manage to get the latest iPhone and I'm not lying at all. Especially in China! (They buy real deal really and not the fake ones)
Click to expand...

It's true to some extent over here.

Meh, i'm probably wrong.
 
Yes... they have built their reputation on being different than their competition by being more innovative so if they release a 4s or only a slightly different version, their reputation will not be "damaged" but they will receive bad press for sure!

However, we don't have to worry about that. Apple will be unveiling an iPhone 5. The question is it 4G/LTE or not?
 
AdzProductions said:
I have just been thinking this:

I have always considered Apple an extremely up market company, does this mean that with the release of a cheaper iPhone along side the iPhone 5 we will see Apple’s reputation being damaged due to their normal appeal to a more up market crowd?
Click to expand...

The only people that consider Apple an upmarket/luxury manufacturer are invariably the same type of cretin that thinks the CheeseCake Factory is high end dining.
 
No. If they release a 4s they will get some bad press followed by the quarter numbers that show massive sales. Simple as that. Some people will jump ship but there will still be a lot of IPhones being sold. I think they've just kept the IPhone 5 under wraps personally and they will release an IPhone 5 and a cheaper IPhone 4. I don't remember any leaks of the 1st gen IPhone being leaked. Whether that's comparable to Apple keeping a device secret now is some what questionable though.
 
Cheaper iphone will likely look different than the iphone 5 (at least i hope so...)

more accessibility = bigger userbase
bigger userbase = more development
more development = more purchasing of apps
more purchasing of apps = higher profits for apple

It may not make YOU feel like you are elite, but it certainly will make apple feel that way.
 
What a dumb question.

iPhone already has a cheaper iphone. Its called the 3GS now and will be the 4 when the 5 comes out. The 4S is only designed for asian markets.

I mean really, if a cheaper iphone hurt Apple, I didnt see it in their last few earnings reports.
 
Almost everyone at my college owns an iPhone. It's really not an "elite symbol" it just means you have $200 to spend on a phone
 
boss.king said:
To you it's laughable. To the public it is an elite brand. There's a reason rappers talk about driving Lamborghinis and using iPhones. It's the same reason Beats headphones sell well. They may not be anything special in sound (the headphones), but they're something you can show off to your friend.
Click to expand...

If you or anyone else has to have something that you consider elite just so you can show off to your friends then I suggest spending any money that you are planning to use for a new phone on visiting a therapist to address your own personality insecurities.

To dampen down your 'elite' tag a bit, here in the UK I run a youth club for kids ( 12-16 yrs of age) in a deprived are of London, out of 65 kids in our Friday group over half have iPhones. They are certainly not seen as status symbols around here and you can pick up a decent 3gs for £150 and an iPhone 4 for under £250 all officially unlocked. That is because the networks here will unlock any phone from any UK network so the phones are plentiful and other smartphones are much the same.

And of course with an unlocked phone kids can get really cheap and easily affordable PAYG sim only plans from a plethora of UK providers. For £10 a month kids can get unlimited texts, 500MB data and 300 mins of calls, so owning an iPhone is nothing special anymore and has already been stated the majority of people buy phones for the functions they need (not to prop up their own insecurities)
 
Last edited:
Mute point as many have already said they already have one, (3gs) and yes the 4 will be the new cheap phone when the 5 comes out. Wait I just heard an echo echo echo.....:apple::apple::apple:

Now if your talking about apple introducing to the world a newly released cheap model along side the new 5, no it wont damage their rep because as you know the phone wont look like some cheap plastic motorola toy, it'll be a slick upscale looking phone. Apple will sale many millions to both existing and new customers.

Think ipods: The Classic and the slick Nanos when they first hit the market. They can employ the same business plan with phones if they want. If done right they can even offer slick colors, game over.
 
iPhone really is a status symbol. Three of my friends who owns S2, Droid X2 and Sensation barely get a second look at their handsets. While, people really see you different holding iPhone.
PS : Based on True Incidents.:D
 
Isn't the 3GS already the "cheaper" iPhone?

Either way I don't honestly think price will affect Apple either way. The iPhone 4 isn't exactly cheap but on the train and at work every other person seems to have one.

No one really goes for the 3GS anymore...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back