Other Will there ever be a true low-cost or "Nano" iPhone?

[iTurbo]

Anybody think Apple will ever make a true low-cost iPhone? I'm thinking something along the lines of what the iPod Nano was to the iPod Touch. I think this might be a possibility given that Apple is having a very difficult time cracking into markets like China and India, and there are plenty of people (like me) in the US that would appreciate having such a device.

Myself, I have a regular iPhone 7, but I think that is even too large and most of the functionality is lost on me anyway. I just want phone/msg functionality; and I don't need *everything* considering I would rather use my iMac or MBA for most things anyway. I would like to have something smaller (smaller than a 3GS even). Limited functionality goes without saying, but still having limited apps and staying in the Apple ecosystem would be nice.

 

[akash.nu]

Nope.

If you need to restrict yourself then there are other options around that can do the things you’d like in a phone.

 

[StaceyMJ86]

I don’t see Apple doing this. If you want something smaller than the 3GS, you could look into the Palm phone but it runs Android and is only on Verizon. I think the days of Apple releasing a device smaller than 4.7” is gone.

 

[iTurbo]

Nope.

If you need to restrict yourself then there are other options around that can do the things you’d like in a phone.

I mostly want to get away with not having this huge *thing* in my pocket all the time, everywhere I go. Especially with a case involved so it doesn't break and cost huge $$ to replace. And the price wow....it's like buying a brand new top of the line Chevy Silverado when I really would be just fine with a basic Ford Ranger.

I think Apple is shutting themselves out of a huge potential market. Obviously they are because the world is way bigger than the USA. Maybe they are aware that having such a device would cannibalize sales of their flagship devices. They have their investors to please though..

I've thought that maybe an Apple Watch would be the way to go, but it still doesn't seem like it could truly replace basic phone/msg functionality even. At least as a stand alone device.

 

[canuckRus]

Anybody think Apple will ever make a true low-cost iPhone? I'm thinking something along the lines of what the iPod Nano was to the iPod Touch. I think this might be a possibility given that Apple is having a very difficult time cracking into markets like China and India, and there are plenty of people (like me) in the US that would appreciate having such a device.

Myself, I have a regular iPhone 7, but I think that is even too large and most of the functionality is lost on me anyway. I just want phone/msg functionality; and I don't need *everything* considering I would rather use my iMac or MBA for most things anyway. I would like to have something smaller (smaller than a 3GS even). Limited functionality goes without saying, but still having limited apps and staying in the Apple ecosystem would be nice.

Very much doubt it. Profit margins are the key, not number of units sold for business success. Same reason NA car companies are dropping car models.
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I mostly want to get away with not having this huge *thing* in my pocket all the time, everywhere I go. Especially with a case involved so it doesn't break and cost huge $$ to replace. And the price wow....it's like buying a brand new top of the line Chevy Silverado when I really would be just fine with a basic Ford Ranger.

I think Apple is shutting themselves out of a huge potential market. Obviously they are because the world is way bigger than the USA. Maybe they are aware that having such a device would cannibalize sales of their flagship devices. They have their investors to please though..

I've thought that maybe an Apple Watch would be the way to go, but it still doesn't seem like it could truly replace basic phone/msg functionality even. At least as a stand alone device.

Apple Watch requires an Apple phone to go with it. Not stand alone.

 

[44267547]

I think Apple has made it clear that they don’t want to invest in devices _that_ small anymore, the iPhone SE was more of a limited time release, and the demographic is showing larger smart phones are preferred, even though that there is a minor demographic that would want a smaller device, but it’s probably not enough for demand and to make Apple money at the same time.

 

[rbrian]

I think the Apple Watch might one day be able to work alone, without needing to be paired to an iPhone. To make calls you'd probably want AirPods, unless you want everyone to hear both sides of your conversation.

...Maybe eventually AirPods will be all you need, but that's unlikely any time soon, due to power, battery, and size constraints.

If all you need is calls and texts, why does it need to be Apple? If blue bubble texts fail, they'll send in green. You might be better off with a cheap feature phone.

 

[macfacts]

If siri was good, a no screen iPhone could work.

 

[cableguy84]

You 4 inchers are in the minority. The majority of customers want more than a 4 inch screen.

 

[Mac'nCheese]

You 4 inchers are in the minority. The majority of customers want more than a 4 inch screen.

Yeah but I think there are enough of us that they can still make a smaller phone profitable... I would go back to one and use my mini for when I wanted to watch shows or whatever. But it seems like majority rules for now.

 

[1rottenapple]

I can’t see them doing a low cost small phone when you can buy a low cost android with a big screen.

 

[eyoungren]

Anybody think Apple will ever make a true low-cost iPhone?

They did.

It was called the iPhone 5c and it was made of 'premium' plastic.

Almost no one bought it.

So Apple went back to their original low cost model.

It's called the previous model. The one that gets a price drop when the new iPhone goes on sale.

If that isn't your idea of a 'low-cost' iPhone then you aren't the customer Apple is targeting.

The iPhone 4/4s served that role for several years.

 

[EM2013]

You 4 inchers are in the minority. The majority of customers want more than a 4 inch screen.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
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Myself, I have a regular iPhone 7, but I think that is even too large and most of the functionality is lost on me anyway. I just want phone/msg functionality; and I don't need *everything* considering I would rather use my iMac or MBA for most things anyway. I would like to have something smaller (smaller than a 3GS even). Limited functionality goes without saying, but still having limited apps and staying in the Apple ecosystem would be nice.

I hear motorola is bringing back the Razr, you might want to get that.

 

[eyoungren]

I hear motorola is bringing back the Razr, you might want to get that.

At $1500 it'll be a steal!

 

[EM2013]

At $1500 it'll be a steal!

I wonder if people will have the same outrage as they did when apple announced the price of the xs max

 

[Aftermath747]

Anybody think Apple will ever make a true low-cost iPhone? I'm thinking something along the lines of what the iPod Nano was to the iPod Touch. I think this might be a possibility given that Apple is having a very difficult time cracking into markets like China and India, and there are plenty of people (like me) in the US that would appreciate having such a device.

Myself, I have a regular iPhone 7, but I think that is even too large and most of the functionality is lost on me anyway. I just want phone/msg functionality; and I don't need *everything* considering I would rather use my iMac or MBA for most things anyway. I would like to have something smaller (smaller than a 3GS even). Limited functionality goes without saying, but still having limited apps and staying in the Apple ecosystem would be nice.

Why don’t you buy an SE? Sounds right up your alley.

 

[spyguy10709]

Yup. Apple made what you're looking for, it's iPhone SE. Currently available in the clearance section of the Apple store, I'd get one before they're gone for good.

It's the internals of a 6S in the 5S shell, very quick under iOS 12 and should continue to be for years.

 

[subjonas]

I think OP is hoping for something even smaller than the se. And simpler, I think, but I’m not sure if OP actually wants it simpler or really just wants it cheaper, because until recently one could easily get an se for pretty darn cheap. (Now it’s a little harder to find without contract.)

I do miss the days of simple phones like my beloved razr. So small and thin you had to check if it was actually in your pocket, so easy and enjoyable to hold, so fun to flip open and closed, all real tactile buttons, battery lasted forever... Just talking about it makes me want to switch back.

But I have to remember how comparatively slow typing was, how slow it was to navigate apps and especially webpages with the d-pad, and its other limitations at the time. Now my productivity depends too heavily on smartphone functions.

But if they somehow fixed typing and navigation, added lte, better software, high ppi screen, good processor, large storage, and a good camera, I’d love go back to the exact same form factor of the razr. I think it might work if they turned the surface of the number pad buttons into a multi touch surface (so retain the physical number buttons but also make it one big touch pad), and implemented a really good swiping software keyboard. Not sure how they’d fix navigation though, but at least you could flick scroll. I’d totally buy that. Don’t really need a bigger screen since I don’t spend much time on videos and photos.

I saw schematics of the new rumored folding display razr. I don’t think it will have that satisfying snap shut, which is one of the things about the original razr I miss the most. But it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

 

[44267547]

Currently available in the clearance section of the Apple store, I'd get one before they're gone for good..

It’s not. It sold out for the second time within hours of its release. All models and storages are unavailable.

https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished/clearance/iphone

 

[Newtons Apple]

Afraid the trend in phone sizes are against the OP.

I do not think any phone maker is making a phone that small.

 

[Ebok]

given that Apple is having a very difficult time cracking into markets like China and India

Here’s the thing tho. Phones are not selling not because of the size but because of the cost.

I used to work TSA over a year ago and I would say 90% of the young Asian men and women coming through had phablet phones. Either iPhone plus models or Chinese branded phones even bigger than the iPhone.