The budget iPhone needs to look hideous


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iphone-color-cases-3.jpg?w=618

 

Pictures of candy-colored entry-level iPhones with rounded corners have started circulating. Many have branded them hideous, crude atrocities. They need to be. Apple is facing a unique dilemma: Because of the stellar success of the iOS app universe, the entry-level iPhone has to have nearly the same specs as the flagship iPhone. The display has to be large. The processing power has to be substantial. Apple cannot afford to fragment the iPhone device base, particularly since it has spent years mocking Android vendors mercilessly for doing just that. Still, the budget iPhones have to be something that affluent and aspirational consumers despise.
 
There can?t be much differentiation on the hardware or software aspects. So there must be a very sharp line drawn between the two models based on the look and feel.
 
Apple cannot have the bulk of its customers trade down to the budget phone from more expensive devices. It must make the entry-level model look so vulgar and cheap that most iPhone users will stick to the main line models, even if they have to pay a $200 to $400 premium. The budget phones have to look tackier than the new iPhone 5S, but it?s not just that ? they must also be less desirable than the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S? yet still appear more desirable than low-end Android phones.
 
This is a very, very tricky maneuver to pull off, which is why Apple has literally agonized over the move for years, even as the Android camp built a huge volume lead in Brazil, Spain, China and other major markets.
 
It will be absolutely fascinating to see how the entry-level iPhone is going to be priced and marketed, but it looks like Apple has clearly achieved its primary goal ? the new entry-level model looks absolutely hideous to someone who has been using an iPhone 5.

 

 

 
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It's the brilliant "This doesn't appeal to me so it must be ugly and not appeal to anyone" logic.

 

I suspect the author is young enough he doesn't recall the days when everything Apple made came in rainbow colors, or when the Apple logo was a rainbow, or maybe even the iPhone 3GS, which was plastic and a lot of people paid good money to get it dyed.

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So, so ugly that no one ill buy it and stick to the more expensive models. Then why even make a budget iphone.

I guess the reason may be that a lot of people complain that Apple's products are very expensive so Apple makes a cheap product, tells everyone "Hey, we have a cheap product for you, if you dont want to buy it's your problem but we have it".

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Interesting theory, but there are a lot more software things Apple could do to actually make the budget iPhone "budget". 

 

They could include a lesser camera than the 5S.

No fingerprint sensor (even though nobody may care anyway)

Less or no iCloud storage.

Less battery capacity.

Cheapo plastic.

 

Those would be big enough reasons for me not to buy the budget model.

Having crappy colors won't be the reason people would stick with the premium model.  

Plus they still need to make it appealing enough for people to buy it in the first place.  They should be more concerned about losing people to Android rather than losing people to their other products.

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Believe it or not a lot of kids (mostly girls I'm guessing) will want this and Apple knows it. 

Actually that's a very good theory..... Kids would probably love those different colors and if you make the price low enough then it will be easier for parents to buy it. Just make it good enough to run apps and that's all the kids want anyway.

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Actually that's a very good theory..... Kids would probably love those different colors and if you make the price low enough then it will be easier for parents to buy it. Just make it good enough to run apps and that's all the kids want anyway.

 

Exactly. Those look pretty much like iPods anyway, and that's what kids use.

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I guess the reason may be that a lot of people complain that Apple's products are very expensive so Apple makes a cheap product, tells everyone "Hey, we have a cheap product for you, if you dont want to buy it's your problem but we have it".

Seems like a big waste of time/money if that was so.

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Buy this ugly thing > buy a cheap case for it that makes it better > done.

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Interesting theory, but there are a lot more software things Apple could do to actually make the budget iPhone "budget". 

 

They could include a lesser camera than the 5S.

No fingerprint sensor (even though nobody may care anyway)

Less or no iCloud storage.

Less battery capacity.

Cheapo plastic.

 

Those would be big enough reasons for me not to buy the budget model.

Having crappy colors won't be the reason people would stick with the premium model.  

Plus they still need to make it appealing enough for people to buy it in the first place.  They should be more concerned about losing people to Android rather than losing people to their other products.

And there are two (and only two) reasons why they lose customers to Android today - app count and handset price.  The latter is what the low-end iPhone is meant to counter.

And a plastic iPhone (but with the same quality innards) wouldn't necessarily be a BAD thing for the budget-minded.  Not only in the colors shown by the OP, but in blue, green, or even Basic Black.

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Seems like a big waste of time/money if that was so.

Who know's, it's just my theory..... You can never know what those big managers on the top floors thinking :)

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Typical economics, once a product reaches maturity, it's time for revitalization to extend it's life cycle but decline is inevitable without true innovation unless there is no/very little market saturation. The iPhone is in it's maturity and there is market saturation so decline is inevitable without some serious innovation. A budget iPhone is not a good sign for the iPhone brand.

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And there are two (and only two) reasons why they lose customers to Android today - app count and handset price.  The latter is what the low-end iPhone is meant to counter.

And a plastic iPhone (but with the same quality innards) wouldn't necessarily be a BAD thing for the budget-minded.  Not only in the colors shown by the OP, but in blue, green, or even Basic Black.

 

App count?  I'm pretty sure they both have the same number of apps.  If anything, the app quality on iOS is generally better.  Plus there's a lot of garbage on the Play Store since there is essentially no protection.

 

Price is also a moot point depending on how you look at it.  I can get the 4 or 4S for free with contract renewal or the 5 for $200, and that's the exact same pricing as every other phone out there.  The Galaxy S4 is $200 and the S3 is free (or close to).

Out of contract pricing is a different story, but premium phones still cost the same.  Android does have more "junk" phones that don't cost much though.  But honestly, I doubt this scenario applies to much of anybody.  More often than not, people aren't buying phones at out-of-contract price.

 

Maybe it's different in other countries, but the iPhone is #1 here.  Android simply beats them in quantity since they flood the market.

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App count? I'm pretty sure they both have the same number of apps. If anything, the app quality on iOS is generally better. Plus there's a lot of garbage on the Play Store since there is essentially no protection.

Price is also a moot point depending on how you look at it. I can get the 4 or 4S for free with contract renewal or the 5 for $200, and that's the exact same pricing as every other phone out there. The Galaxy S4 is $200 and the S3 is free (or close to).

Out of contract pricing is a different story, but premium phones still cost the same. Android does have more "junk" phones that don't cost much though. But honestly, I doubt this scenario applies to much of anybody. More often than not, people aren't buying phones at out-of-contract price.

Maybe it's different in other countries, but the iPhone is #1 here. Android simply beats them in quantity since they flood the market.

It depends on how you look at it really. What you call junk phones other people may call variety of phones. Apple is only making one phone, with a price of X and no other option. For some it can be a problem. Making another version, a cheaper version of the iPhone can be good.

According to the numbers apple is loosing market share to android so they should try and make changes.

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I wouldn't be surprised if it was based off the iPhone 4 specs, including screen size and everything. the iPhone 4 is already quite limited compared to the 4S and 5.

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It depends on how you look at it really. What you call junk phones other people may call variety of phones. Apple is only making one phone, with a price of X and no other option. For some it can be a problem. Making another version, a cheaper version of the iPhone can be good.

According to the numbers apple is loosing market share to android so they should try and make changes.

 

Well like I said, Apple still offers the previous 2 models at low/free prices.  This new "budget" iPhone would have to be cheap in terms of out-of-contract pricing, which I'm sure they are losing some potential customers in, but probably not substantial.

 

I'm assuming this will be a competitor to the Nexus phones.

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