$200 Low End iPhone?

[xintelinsanex]

Saw this: http://www.macrumors.com/2008/06/01/200-low-end-iphone/

I wonder if this is true and if so, what would make it low end. Less memory? Non-3G? Who knows. Thoughts?

 

[Reaktor5]

Great idea price wise.
The real question is, what is it going to be lacking to make it cheaper?

 

[IrishJK09]

Interesting...

I would like it if this was true personally. I could get the 3G version for myself and the "low-end" version for my wife who isn't big into data use like I am. It would also allow us to get on the less expensive "multi-iPhone" family plan. Right now I have a BlackBerry with the BB Personal Data plan and she has a normal phone with no data, add to that unlimited texting and we are up to $170 a month. The two line, iPhone family plan with unlimited texting, the same minutes, and unlimited data for both lines would end up costing the same thing. More data for the same price? I'll take it!

I hope this turns out to be true.

 

[xintelinsanex]

Great idea price wise.
The real question is, what is it going to be lacking to make it cheaper?

You know what, the high-end model would probably have GPS and the low end will not, this would make sense.

 

[Reaktor5]

You know what, the high-end model would probably have GPS and the low end will not, this would make sense.

Which would be great for me, I would never use it. I think the triangulation is fine as it is, for me at least.

 

[IrishJK09]

You know what, the high-end model would probably have GPS and the low end will not, this would make sense.

Add to that 3G, and you are probably right.

High end = 3G and GPS
Low end = Edge and no GPS

 

[Reaktor5]

Add to that 3G, and you are probably right.

High end = 3G and GPS
Low end = Edge and no GPS

Stop crushing my dreams!

 

[xintelinsanex]

Add to that 3G, and you are probably right.

High end = 3G and GPS
Low end = Edge and no GPS

Yup, so just updated regular iPhone and new 3G iPhone. But Is Kevin Rose right? Hasn't he made inaccurate predictions or comments? What has he said that ended up being right?

 

[Reaktor5]

Yup, so just updated regular iPhone and new 3G iPhone. But Is Kevin Rose right? Hasn't he made inaccurate predictions or comments? What has he said that ended up being right?

He's been WAY off before, but right on a few things:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBfLjqfYKM0
http://www.intomobile.com/2008/03/24/kevin-rose-says-3g-iphone-will-do-3g-video-chat-with-ichat.html

 

[IndyJonez]

Good idea to get more people into the whole "apple" scene. I often hear people in the store playing around with the iphones that usually leads to a comment to their friends "It's nice, but I'm not paying 500 bucks for a phone"...I know I know, little do they know what it's actually capable of from standing at one for 5 whole minutes, but I think you would see that 10 million sold mark early on that account.

 

[carsly]

low-end iphone

Saw this: http://www.macrumors.com/2008/06/01/200-low-end-iphone/

I wonder if this is true and if so, what would make it low end. Less memory? Non-3G? Who knows. Thoughts?

The simplest low-end model would be...drum roll please...

...the first generation iphone! That's right, drop the price and produce the 1st gen and 2nd gen phones in parallel making the first gen phone eligible for carrier subsidy. It already has edge data, the famous touchscreen, adequate (but not comfortable) storage capacity and itunes integration in a form factor and fashion that apple has already built up. Sure, you could make some slight tweaks - add color variants (blue, pink, green, gray) and maybe put in a higher res camera sensor (fairly inexpensive upgrade) to differentiate the product but it would otherwise be a 1st gen iphone. I suspect that at a lower price point people will rush out to buy then for precisely the reason you've offered - a lot of people like the iphone but can't / won't spend $500 for one.

 

[nsquared]

I would also hope Apple plays with form factors, like the current iPod line. The current iPhone is a bit wide, and it would be interesting if they produced a narrower version, perhaps like the slim iPod nanos (not the current video nanos).

 

[anon(4661222)]

I would also hope Apple plays with form factors, like the current iPod line. The current iPhone is a bit wide, and it would be interesting if they produced a narrower version, perhaps like the slim iPod nanos (not the current video nanos).

An iPhone w/ a similar form factor as the 2nd gen Nano was my hope last year when the first iPhone was announced, because I didn't want to pay the $70+ a month. I've since turned the corner and want the full version, but I think a iPhone nano would sell very well, and lay the groundwork for people to upgrade to the full version.

Since the screen would be so small, I don't think it would make since to have 3G, GPS, or a touch screen. Just use the scroll wheel for navigation. Texting wouldn't work so well though.

 

[xintelinsanex]

An iPhone w/ a similar form factor as the 2nd gen Nano was my hope last year when the first iPhone was announced, because I didn't want to pay the $70+ a month. I've since turned the corner and want the full version, but I think a iPhone nano would sell very well, and lay the groundwork for people to upgrade to the full version.

Since the screen would be so small, I don't think it would make since to have 3G, GPS, or a touch screen. Just use the scroll wheel for navigation. Texting wouldn't work so well though.

I don't think Apple will use a scroll wheel control on a smaller iPhone if that came to fruition. The iPhone has always been touted as being touchscreen. Why would Apple just turn the corner and dismiss this and add a wheel. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Ahambone]

You know what, the high-end model would probably have GPS and the low end will not, this would make sense.

I could live with a non-GPS 3G model, *especially* if it meant an increase in battery life.

 

[xintelinsanex]

I expect an increase in battery life whether or not GPS is included. For example, non-GPS would increase battery life by 20% and GPS would only increase battery life by 10%. These of course are just made up numbers use to illustrate my point.

 

[emceechad]

If Apple gave the low-end iPhone 3G and video capability and then gave the high-end one everything else, I'd be happy.

$200 for an iPhone is a price I'm willing to pay.

 

[redsoxfan950]

The high-end model will have 3d gps and the low-end model will have a regualer gps. this is what i think.

 

[xintelinsanex]

The high-end model will have 3d gps and the low-end model will have a regualer gps. this is what i think.

I highly doubt this will be the feature that will distinguish the different models. Besides, I and I'm betting a lot of people, would prefer regular GPS.

 

[patcom8]

you can never tell with AT&T. I think Apple made a big mistake the first time around not subsidizing the phone. I would have to say that its not going to be a huge decrease in price to $200 but i would say that they might give a $50 rebate. To have such a huge subsidy that woudl drop the price of the whole phone down to 200 is almost impossible. You cant even buy a Ipod touch for $200. i think it would be a big mistake by apple and although they might see a huge increase in the number of iphone sales, they will experience a large decrease in regular ipod and ipod touch sales which in the long run may be detrimental.