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Other Ending all the rumors of the 6.1 inch cheap iPhone
- Thread starter Coconut Bean
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Well, I am just pointing out that apart from the rumors and leaks it is totally illogical from Apple, but who knows. Agree with that with all the leaks at this point it is almost certain.
How is it "totally illogical"?
If anything, the 6.1" model makes complete sense if you look at the current market conditions.
Every one of your original arguments is based on wrong information.
The 6.1 LCD iPhone has been rumored for months, and it’s the one iPhone I think that’s almost guaranteed at this point, strictly given Apple wanted to compete with the 6 inch form factor smart phone market and make the price point attractive, Two key staples for the success of this phone.
The 5.8 inch already does that. The 0.3 inch difference is just too small to justify it. Especially in a 18:9 format.
I also have hard time to see how a lower price would be achievable if the specs are not significantly worse than the top-model’s. For me it would be a very un-Apple-like move.
You're assuming the 6.1" form factor is purely for display. When manufacturers use a larger chassis, the internal volume increases faster than the display size. This makes it easier (and less expensive) to design and manufacture a battery to power the phone. It's the reason why the 5.5" lasts longer than the 4.7" iPhone. Phablets are less expensive to design and manufacture components for.
If you actually looked at the materials cost instead of using hand waving arguments, you would realize it's easy to reduce costs. Apple prices the BOM to MSRP for iPhone at X roughly 2.7X.
The iPhone X costs $370 in components and sells for $999.
$370
-$58 (iPhone 8 Plus 5.5" LCD with 3D Touch)
-$19 (iPhone 8 single camera instead of dual)
-$10 (iPhone 8 aluminum alloy instead of stainless steel)
==============
$283 x 2.7 = $764
These changes alone already allow Apple to sell a $760 iPhone. And it assumes no other component price drops from using Intel instead of Qualcomm, lack of 3D Touch, TrueDepth production maturity, potential lack of wireless charging, and overall manufacturing improvements.
The 5C at least had better LTE support than the 5 it replaced. Just the case was lowered. I don't think we know yet whether the 6.1" model will have a better modem than the X, or how CPU will compare against the other new models. Not much more than size, LCD, and possibly 3D touch.
There was an other thread where someone said they're afraid iPhone 6.1" is basically a worse iPhone 8 (plus) with a notched screen slapped on, only for the looks.
It would be in the segment of where iPhone 8 plus is now price wise slightly below while offering something marginally better.
Why introduce a new model basically fulfilling what an old one already does? Component cost wise it's fine as you have presented. But the indirect costs (app development, support, spare components etc) is much higher.
From a financial perspective, is it really justifiable introducing such a product, will it actually boost the sales significantly? We all know apple products will sell, I am just unsure with a model like this they would sell more.
Compared to the iPhone 8 Plus, the 6.1" model offers slightly more display area while being 15% smaller in volume. That's attractive for anybody, no matter who you are.
Every major competitor is offering 6" displays on their mainstream product: Huawei, Samsung, Xiaomi, and OPPO. As the market leader, Apple isn't about to stick with 4.7" and 5.5". And unlike Blackberry, Apple isn't in the habit of milking their products to the last drop until it's too late.
Chinese consumers are buying $700 phones from Huawei because it serves their needs: fast, big display, big battery, dual-SIM. Every one of these pain points are being targeted with the 6.1" iPhone.
Does it make sense financially for Apple? Yes, it costs money to remain as the market leader. Apple has a long tail end for the iPhone so it's not as if the 8 and 8 Plus drop off a cliff.
I wouldn’t say it’s “fact” quite yet. I seem to remember hearing a lot about the successor to the iPhone 4 that was going to be tear-shaped/tapered like the iPod Touch. Nothing close materialized.
Those rumors weren’t backed by Ming-Chi Kuo or Mark Gurman. The 6.1” is back by both of them.
Of course is not a fact yet, but undoubtedly the 6.1 LCD iPhone is almost guaranteed, with even leaks indicating the glass display have surfaced already. It makes complete sense that Apple is venturing on to the 6 inch market and having a newer form factor under the 5.8 iPhone X. Its basically happening, which there really has not been any other rumors contradicting otherwise.
I don’t think the 6.1 can be considered a cheap iPhone. The “cheaper” iPhone will be the current iPhone 8.
My guess for this years line up:
The current X will get dropped
New iPhone X at 899 (rumor it would drop 100)
New iPhone X plus 999 or more
New iPhone 6,1 inch 699-799
Old iPhone 8 549-649
Probably keeping the 7 around and SE for one more year.
My guess for this years line up:
The current X will get dropped
New iPhone X at 899 (rumor it would drop 100)
New iPhone X plus 999 or more
New iPhone 6,1 inch 699-799
Old iPhone 8 549-649
Probably keeping the 7 around and SE for one more year.
You are either trolling or choosing to ignore all the evidence. The 6.1" iPhone is coming next month. Ming Chi's repeated reports alone are a lock. The leaks from Steve Hemmerstoffer are a lock. There are countless other signs this phone will be released next month.
The 'why' is very clear. Apple needs an iPhone to replace the current 8 in the price-lineup as even a potentially discounted X 2nd gen at $899 is too expensive for many.
Based on your logic, the iPhone 7 and SE would be the cheap phone.
A low-cost phone refers to the 2018 phones. Not previous generations.
The "why 6.1 inch" is however not. It is confusing as heck with the slightly bigger model actually being cheaper and by the looks getting severely gimped.
I agree that with all the leaks this model is likely to be the real deal, but there must be some twist. Maybe it will be China only at a much lower price tag to be able to compete with all the Chinese manufacturers.
Absolutely no chance it's China only. Sorry mate but you are not good at putting the pieces together.
Apple needs to offer a cheaper new iPhone. They can make an iPhone this large (6.1") at that price range. It will essentially be exactly in-between the sizes of the X2 and X Plus.
Why bigger than the X? Because clearly that's where Apple sees the market demand, for larger phones. Perhaps (hopefully) we will see a smaller iPhone one day with Face ID. I don't know. But for 2018 you are SOL if you want that and Face ID too. You will have to go bigger.
Being honest, I also think it’s bizarre to have the mass market oriented model sitting at a larger screen size than the non-plus premium model. But then i’m not privy to the market research / logistics / technical considerations.
6.1 inch is the typical midrange display size.
It will sell very well in parts of Europe, India, and China.
I admit I was wrong.
In the end we did receive a 6.1-inch Phone with at a price where people were expecting it and with somewhat worse specs (thinking about that screen resolution).
As ZEEN0j pointed out Apple did make the older generations cheaper though.