Opinion: Seeing Through Apple's "New" iPhone 5c Illusion

[adamovera]

While most of the tech press seems to have been awed by Apple’s colorful "new" iPhone 5c, I’m not biting. It's definitely not cheap, it's made of plastic, and it's hardly new. But of course, this was all obfuscated by Apple’s usual dog and pony show.

Opinion: Seeing Through Apple's "New" iPhone 5c Illusion : Read more

 

[ps3hacker12]

great breakdown and a nice read, kudos to whoever wrote this.

 

[hannibal]

iPeople make IT with bigger margins!

 

[wildkitten]

Not sure what the criticism is. As the author pointed out, Apple isn't doing anything different than it has all along. The 5c is at the same price point as the 5 would have been had they followed their same pricing from previous years, but the 5c does have some upgrades over the standard 5 which the author also pointed out.

As for the case, sorry, not everyone prefers metal. And people can't praise the Moto X for it's colors on the one hand and then criticize Apple for doing it as well. It's still a very solid, well made phone. My S4 is made from a very good plastic and I prefer it, no matter how many people criticize it.

 

[jeepmanjr]

I feel ya. Personally? I think Apple represents overpriced yuppie toys. No Apple toys in my household. If you disagree, perhaps a history lesson is in order. Apple had an outstanding opportunity back in the day, they were greedy (very much like today) and squandered their opportunity(ies). Enter IBM and, ultimately, Microsoft. And here we are. LOL!! Please, spare me your juvenile Apple rants.

 

[adamovera]

Not sure what the criticism is. As the author pointed out, Apple isn't doing anything different than it has all along. The 5c is at the same price point as the 5 would have been had they followed their same pricing from previous years, but the 5c does have some upgrades over the standard 5 which the author also pointed out.

As for the case, sorry, not everyone prefers metal. And people can't praise the Moto X for it's colors on the one hand and then criticize Apple for doing it as well. It's still a very solid, well made phone. My S4 is made from a very good plastic and I prefer it, no matter how many people criticize it.

Apple took away a premium feature in exchange for a couple of minor things, yet left the pricing the same. It's a raw deal that clearly only benefits the company's bottom line.

Now, had it killed off the 4 /4s and priced the 5c @ $450 (eliminating the mid-range altogether), that would have been a far more solid, though still too weak, entry-level move. Alternatively, if the company added the battery, camera, and/or color options to the metal iPhone 5, yet kept it at $550, that would have been a value-add to the existing order of things.

As to the Moto X comment, I've never even seen one. However, I'm pretty sure the color options are a carrier-specific gimmick. On paper, it looks like a mediocre handset that's priced too high off-contract to make it interesting - to me, anyway.

 

[-Fran-]

I'm thinking that to keep the same price point they went plastic; otherwise they wouldn't have been able to put the new camera in, right?

Cheers!

 

[Thierry Martin]

Apple bashing seems to be turning into a mental disorder.

 

[vmem]

I never thought I'd say that Apple botched a marketing campaign, but they did on the iphone 5C

well, it may not really be the fault of the marketing team, but the phone is perceived as cheap, while the internals are far from that. This article points out all of this, and it comes down to the fact that Apple made a phone that people are only willing to buy at a lower profit margin to Apple...

 

[lansiman]

poor is the root of all sins,this is a very biased article
there are dumb baboons that doesn't know how corporates runs
everybody wants to be in Apple position from perspective of market power,the only reason other manufacturer like samsung LG doesn't set high price is because they can't,nobody would buy an S4 at the same price as 5S,like nobody would buy a corolla at BMW price,they sure did if they can,they are not out for charity
cheapskate is those who expect a company to sell whatever stuff cheaply,and can't look past anything other than just the obvious

 

[sephirothmk]

Low end phones cost 450$? Holy kittens, I've been living under a rock!

 

[wildkitten]

Apple took away a premium feature in exchange for a couple of minor things, yet left the pricing the same. It's a raw deal that clearly only benefits the company's bottom line.

Now, had it killed off the 4 /4s and priced the 5c @ $450 (eliminating the mid-range altogether), that would have been a far more solid, though still too weak, entry-level move. Alternatively, if the company added the battery, camera, and/or color options to the metal iPhone 5, yet kept it at $550, that would have been a value-add to the existing order of things.

As to the Moto X comment, I've never even seen one. However, I'm pretty sure the color options are a carrier-specific gimmick. On paper, it looks like a mediocre handset that's priced too high off-contract to make it interesting - to me, anyway.

No, had nothing been touched and the price lowered, that would have been value added simply because of the price reduction.

But you yourself point out that they made actual PERFORMANCE improvements. What the case is made has no affect on the phone. Well, in actuality it can, because metal can possibly interfere with radio signals.

Bottom line is, the 5c is an improvement over the 5 where it matters, functionality, even your own article points that out, and it has a price reduction.

When the 5 was released, the 4S was merely reduced in price, nothing else.

And if you don't know about the color options of the Moto X, then you do not deserve to be writing an opinion piece for a tech site. It has been all over the news that AT&T will only have the exclusive to Motomaker for a very limited time. It will go to all other carriers very soon.

 

[wildkitten]

Apple bashing seems to be turning into a mental disorder.

Bashing anything or anyone on top has become the popular, conformist thing to do.

 

[adamovera]

No, had nothing been touched and the price lowered, that would have been value added simply because of the price reduction.

But you yourself point out that they made actual PERFORMANCE improvements. What the case is made has no affect on the phone. Well, in actuality it can, because metal can possibly interfere with radio signals.

Bottom line is, the 5c is an improvement over the 5 where it matters, functionality, even your own article points that out, and it has a price reduction.

When the 5 was released, the 4S was merely reduced in price, nothing else.

And if you don't know about the color options of the Moto X, then you do not deserve to be writing an opinion piece for a tech site. It has been all over the news that AT&T will only have the exclusive to Motomaker for a very limited time. It will go to all other carriers very soon.

I'm sorry, discounting last year's model when the new one comes out is a value-add?! That's standard practice. What else would happen, keep tacking another hundo onto the new one each year? If that's how it worked no one could afford any new technology.

There are no "performance" improvements, they just threw in the newer camera and battery - and removed the thin, light, costly metal chassis.

Of course it had a price reduction, it's last year's model! if they kept the iPhone 5 as-is, it would have been $550 when the 5s was announced, too - but slimmer, lighter, and solid metal.

I didn't write an opinion piece on the Moto X, in fact, I never even brought it up. You did.

 

[designasaurus]

I don't really have a problem with colorful plastic shells, so long as the plastic is durable and strong. As an example, Bitfenix has made their entire business off of properly implementing plastic exteriors.

What I actually have a problem with is those terrible phone covers Apple is releasing. What sort of style is it supposed to be? Connect Four? I can't look at those covers without imagining some accountant laughing maniacally while crunching the numbers on how much material is saved by each motion of the industrial hole-punch...

 

[wildkitten]

I'm sorry, discounting last year's model when the new one comes out is a value-add?! That's standard practice. What else would happen, keep tacking another hundo onto the new one each year? If that's how it worked no one could afford any new technology.

There are no "performance" improvements, they just threw in the newer camera and battery - and removed the thin, light, costly metal chassis.

Of course it had a price reduction, it's last year's model! if they kept the iPhone 5 as-is, it would have been $550 when the 5s was announced, too - but slimmer, lighter, and solid metal.

I didn't write an opinion piece on the Moto X, in fact, I never even brought it up. You did.

You're claiming a better quality front facing camera and an improved battery is not performance enhancements? Sorry, but I think any rational person could see that a camera that takes better pictures, and a battery that makes the phone last a bit longer would in fact be performance enhancements, and likely ones that are more expensive then the aluminum of the case, something of which adds nothing to the performance of any phone.

As for my Moto X comment, you're right, I did bring it up when comparing the color aspect. There is nothing wrong with another company wanting to capitalize on something that is popular at the moment. But the fact that you write an article for a tech web site and don't know about one of the big features for one of the most highly anticipated tech devices in a long time is what makes me question your credentials to be such a writer for a tech site. It also brings into question your knowledge of the area of cell phones of which you are writing.

And for the record, I am not an iPhone user. Everyone one of my smartphones has been Android. But I think it's ridiculous to bash a company for improving on a previous product and selling it for the same price that they would have anyway had they not improved on it at all.

 

[wildkitten]

I don't really have a problem with colorful plastic shells, so long as the plastic is durable and strong. As an example, Bitfenix has made their entire business off of properly implementing plastic exteriors.

What I actually have a problem with is those terrible phone covers Apple is releasing. What sort of style is it supposed to be? Connect Four? I can't look at those covers without imagining some accountant laughing maniacally while crunching the numbers on how much material is saved by each motion of the industrial hole-punch...

I agree with you on the covers, I don't get the thinking behind them, but that's merely personal taste on my part.

And you're right about the plastic. In fact, an engineer on another tech site went into a nicely detailed explanation showing why a good quality plastic is actually better for a phone than a metal case. How the plastic tends to bend better absorbing much of the stress from a sudden fall or blow to the phone that a metal case doesn't.

And while people may complain about the glossiness of the plastic, it is still one of good quality that many compare favorably to the very good polycarbonate bodies of the Nokia Lumia line.

 

[Verrin]

@wildkitten

You have to be pretty naive to think that Apple is doing us any favours with the 5c. The only reason they replaced to the 5 with the 5c was to improve their profit margin-- anything else they tell you is pure marketing spin. You can justify the 5c all you want, but this doesn't change Apple's intent to increase their bottom line with their mid-range offerings by replacing a premium chassis with a cheap plastic one.

 

[teh_gerbil]

You're awesome. Thank you for telling it like it is, I am soo over Engadget, Gizmodo, Anandtech, Techcrunch, Techwire and Fareastgizmo's (forgive me if I've missed any) snuffling up Apples arse like they're pigs hunting for truffles.

I'm sick of it, I'm over it, and it's really blood refreshing to see some proper tech journalist doing their job: Journalism, rather than attempting to do a damn fine impression of Apples tonsils.

Did Apple get sick people hiding their shittily anodized so cratched to hell iphone 5's hiding behind cases?

Reminds me, how 'champagne' is 'champagne' going to be after a few days in the pocket with some keys?

 

[jimmysmitty]

Not sure what the criticism is. As the author pointed out, Apple isn't doing anything different than it has all along. The 5c is at the same price point as the 5 would have been had they followed their same pricing from previous years, but the 5c does have some upgrades over the standard 5 which the author also pointed out.

As for the case, sorry, not everyone prefers metal. And people can't praise the Moto X for it's colors on the one hand and then criticize Apple for doing it as well. It's still a very solid, well made phone. My S4 is made from a very good plastic and I prefer it, no matter how many people criticize it.

Samsung and Motorola don't take the same phone, rename it and sell it at the same price while also making it using cheaper materials.

While the 5c has some upgrades its still not the "quality" nor is it anything "new".

In all honesty, as much as I dislike Apple and have never been a fan of Steve Jobs, we all know he never would have let the 5C fly.

I also have a S4 and love it. People say the HTC One is better due to the aluminum body but act as if changeable batteries or a microSD slot is not a benefit. I guess when their battery stops holding a charge they will think different.

Look at the S4 LTE-A. Not only does it sport a faster 4G LTE it also has a better CPU (the Snapdragon 800 vs 600 in the original S4) clocked higher with a better GPU. But Samsung also has lower end models which are not S4s.

I guess it all comes down to how Apple markets BS to people and the ignorant ones eat it up.

 

[wildkitten]

@wildkitten

You have to be pretty naive to think that Apple is doing us any favours with the 5c. The only reason they replaced to the 5 with the 5c was to improve their profit margin-- anything else they tell you is pure marketing spin. You can justify the 5c all you want, but this doesn't change Apple's intent to increase their bottom line with their mid-range offerings by replacing a premium chassis with a cheap plastic one.

Who said they were doing anyone any favors? You certainly can not point to where I said that.

And of course they are trying to increase their bottom line. That's the entire point of being in business. If someone isn't trying to improve their bottom line, well, they end up like Blackberry.

But none of that takes away from the fact that the author of the article comes across as the standard Apple hater, nothing more. If Apple had made no changes to the iPhone 5 and reduced it to the same prices that they are selling the 5c for, there would have been no criticism whatsoever. I mean no one has complained when they did it in years past.

However, what they did with the 5 was make at least 2 hardware improvements, the front facing camera and the better battery. The author in his response to me even makes himself look even more than a typical Apple hater by trying to claim these aren't performance improvements. How can improved hardware that goes directly toward the phones functionality be anything but a performance improvement?

As for the case, yes, a plastic case is probably cheaper than the metal one. But it's an aesthetic change only. It in no way affects how the phone performs. And many people prefer plastic over metal when it comes to phones.

 

[wildkitten]

Samsung and Motorola don't take the same phone, rename it and sell it at the same price while also making it using cheaper materials.

While the 5c has some upgrades its still not the "quality" nor is it anything "new".

In all honesty, as much as I dislike Apple and have never been a fan of Steve Jobs, we all know he never would have let the 5C fly.

I also have a S4 and love it. People say the HTC One is better due to the aluminum body but act as if changeable batteries or a microSD slot is not a benefit. I guess when their battery stops holding a charge they will think different.

Look at the S4 LTE-A. Not only does it sport a faster 4G LTE it also has a better CPU (the Snapdragon 800 vs 600 in the original S4) clocked higher with a better GPU. But Samsung also has lower end models which are not S4s.

I guess it all comes down to how Apple markets BS to people and the ignorant ones eat it up.

An improved front camera and an improved battery is cheaper materials? I doubt there is much cost savings for Apple when you compare the increase costs for those 2 things to the possible savings over the case material. And the camera and battery improvements go toward phone functionality, the case does not, and many people prefer plastic cases, especially when given a choice of several colors.

Now, did Apple raise the price of the 5c in comparison to what they have charged in previous years for the prior years model? No. You would not be complaining at all if they had not done anything to the 5 and just sold it for $99 like they are selling the 5c for.

Really what it comes down to for you and the author is you don't like that Apple has done some minor changes to the phone to be able to market it while also marketing their top end phone. Motorola and Samsung do in fact market their lower end phones, any ad for the Droid Mini shows that. Why is it Apple is bashed for it?

EDIT: And I agree with you on the S4. The swappable battery and the SD slot are why I own one and will never own an iPhone. I prefer choices and I don't like the Apple ecosystem. And it was a discussion about the S4's plastic body and the HTC One aluminum body that an engineer responded to over at The Verge pointing out how the plastic bodies on a phone absorb stress much better when a phone is dropped than does a phone made from a metal body.

 

[teh_gerbil]

For everyone saying "They did make improvements: A better battery, and a batter front facing camera."

A better battery equates to 20 extra minutes of Angry Birds in the subway. Also bearing in mind that iOS7 has proven itself to be a battery whore already, then they knowingly had to put a new battery in so that people wouldn't complain when the battery level sinks faster than the titanic.

As for a better camera, better than what? The only people/time that uses the forward facing camera is your Skype or other video chat App and the quality is actually dictated by your shitty internet upload speed, most of which can barely manage more than 640x480 at 15 frame per second. (Unless you are very very lucky to have a decent upload, but most are not)

So realistically, you may *feel* like they've thrown you a bone with the new iPhoneC but actually it's meaningless in a real world situation. They knew people would have this argument and thought, what's the LEAST we can do, to make people forget we're actually fleecing them of hundreds of millions of dollars thanks to saving that by not using aluminum.

 

[adamovera]

You're claiming a better quality front facing camera and an improved battery is not performance enhancements? Sorry, but I think any rational person could see that a camera that takes better pictures, and a battery that makes the phone last a bit longer would in fact be performance enhancements, and likely ones that are more expensive then the aluminum of the case, something of which adds nothing to the performance of any phone.

As for my Moto X comment, you're right, I did bring it up when comparing the color aspect. There is nothing wrong with another company wanting to capitalize on something that is popular at the moment. But the fact that you write an article for a tech web site and don't know about one of the big features for one of the most highly anticipated tech devices in a long time is what makes me question your credentials to be such a writer for a tech site. It also brings into question your knowledge of the area of cell phones of which you are writing.

And for the record, I am not an iPhone user. Everyone one of my smartphones has been Android. But I think it's ridiculous to bash a company for improving on a previous product and selling it for the same price that they would have anyway had they not improved on it at all.

They just threw in the newer camera from the 5s and made a new battery (probably to fit the plastic case). I guess it depends on what you consider "upgrade" to mean. To me, if both the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c are on the table, both free, which one do I grab? Not even a question.

As far as the Moto X, I just checked, MotoMaker is still AT&T-only, so what don't I know about it exactly? It's a carrier-specific gimmick, until that opens up, that's all it is. And if that sways you to sign an AT&T contract, then god help you.

 

[patrickboyle]

Wow, terrible article from Tom's. I admit I've not been following this site for long, but I absolutely love their tech reviews and articles. I hope this doesn't become a regular thing.

The root of this article seems to be the perception that the 5c is an inferior version of the 5. It's not. Apple has been hiring plastics experts left and right for the past few years and has been putting a lot of R&D into perfecting the plastic shell for this phone. By most accounts the phone looks and feels great; a far cry from the plastic 3G/3GS phones.

The author claims that Apple is trying to improve their profit margins by releasing an inferior phone instead of last year's 5. Saywha? How is spending millions of dollars in R&D, factory tooling and manufacturing to bring a new phone to market better for the profit margin than just sticking with the existing iPhone 5 that costs them nothing extra and that they can now manufacture very cheaply?

So we've got a phone with an improved chassis, better camera, bigger battery while getting just 1.4mm thicker for a price that you would previously pay for it's predecessor and that's a raw deal? Insanity.