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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2014-09-19, 19:34

Because the iPhone 6 is totally old hat!

We all know it will be better, faster, iPhonier. But what I've been pondering the most is, what are they going to call it?

"iPhone 6S" (still not gonna do 6s, sorry Apple) is the obvious candidate. But "iPhone 6S Plus" sounds weird and long and technical. I think you can only get away with one "modifer" after the number without it being ridiculous. So, I think they will either:

1) skip to "iPhone 7," or
2) drop the number and just call it "iPhone (seventh generation)"

After all, there's no law or something saying that the iPhone has to be a different shape in order to get a new number (and of course, there's also no guarantee that the 2015 iPhone will keep the 6's shape). The iPhones are called whatever Apple wants them to be called, and I'm surprised they've kept the "S" thing going as long as they have, to be honest. It sort of makes the "S" releases feel less significant by default, and it's probably a bad thing for Apple to be so predictable. I could easily see Tim or Phil on stage saying that the 2015 upgrade is so significant that it "deserves" a whole new number…

…or else they'll just drop numbers altogether, which make less and less sense as the iPhone expands to a multi-model line. Seriously—"do you want a 5C, 5S, 6, or 6 Plus" is already way to much for people. Something like "iPhone mini, iPhone, iPhone Plus" would be way easier to grok.

Which brings me to the next big question: will they keep on making new 4" models at that $99 price point? Or will it just be 4.7" and up, and if you don't like it, tough? Other companies make "mini" and "compact" versions of their flagships…of course, those compact versions are sometimes about the size of the 4.7" iPhone! Samsung is a weird case, because for value models they offer both 4.3" Galaxy S minis and their previous-generation full-size Galaxy Ses, often at very similar price points. I can't see Apple doing the same…but I suppose anything's possible.

Also, I think the new curved design would look super cool in adonized aluminum colors. Just sayin'. If they do make an iPhone mini, that has to be in the works. I love the idea of color iPhones like the 5C but I think they fit better for the $99 model than they do for the free model; retailers might not stock or display all the colors of the free model, which sort of gets swept under the rug sometimes (it's been a long time since I saw a 4S on display…).

Any other thoughts on naming and sizes (or anything else, I suppose) of future iPhones? This is the place!

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2014-09-19, 20:26

Don't say that! Of course there has to be a same-design 6s next year...at 32GB for $199. That's the one I'll be getting...

"6s Plus"... I don't really see any problem here, or a deal-killer of any kind. I don't think they'll jump to a 7 next year, and I do think they'll keep the 6 name for a same-design model. I don't think next year is going to hold any crazy surprises.

As for colors, I think that's just a complete logistical - manufacturing, shipping, stock, inventory - hassle. Especially when you consider that most everyone covers the colored parts with a case of some sort. I just think it's wasted effort and needless complexity.

My ideal solution for the 2015 iPhone lineup - that pleases the most people/covers the most ground, makes the most sense, seems technically doable and somewhat streamlines/neatens the product grid:

- $0: iPhone 5c design, remove the "5" from its name and just call it iPhone c or something? A7 (two years old by 2015, but still a step up from what it is right now...basically the processor/guts of the 2013 5s).

- $99: 4" 6...either with this year's A8 (so it's one year behind the larger "flagship"(?) models, but with the 6 design/body) (or give it the A9 and whatever else the larger 6s models get, so you have three same-spec size offerings...see below*)

- $199+: 4.7" iPhone 6s, in 32/64/128 capacities (no more of this 16GB stuff on the flagship models in 2015, heading into 2016...16GB can be the base capacity on the free color/plastic model)...a little faster, camera and graphics improvements (the usual "s" stuff)

- $299+: 5.5" iPhone 6s Plus, in 32/64/128 capacities...a little faster, camera and graphics improvements, etc.

Have the three metal "phones that cost something" all look alike, differentiated only by screen size (as with the iPads), and leave the plastic, color models in the $0 spot (with its specs running a year or two behind the metal flagship models, and maybe tweak/update the colors every couple of years to keep it interesting/fresh...I'd also go with a white faceplate on the plastic/colored models; it just looks nicer/"lighter" with those bright, fun colors).

*Personally, I think it would be really nice to have a same-design, same-spec 4", 4.7" and 5.5"...I'm telling you, there are going to be people who don't like these larger sizes. IMO, the 4.7" and 5.5" should've simply been additons to, not "instead of". I honestly think they would sell as many 4" models with the same design and guts as the two larger ones. Come 2015, that 5/5s design is going to be three years old. So give the $99 4" model the same body/design as the 4.7" and 5.5" and please a ton of people who'll be coming up on their 5 or 5s upgrades cycles but who still prefer a 4" iPhone. Imagine how slim and sleek a 4" iPhone would be in this new rounded, thinner body.

Apple should provide that 4" option, and not via "last year's model" either.

Last edited by psmith2.0 : 2014-09-19 at 22:48.
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chucker
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: near Bremen, Germany
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2014-09-20, 04:47

I want a goddamn 6S Mini or 7 Mini or whatever. 4 inches was already a bit much; the 6 is way too much for me. I'd much rather combine an iPhone Mini with an iPad than suffer an awkward neitherherenorthere.
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2014-09-20, 05:07

A new iPhone with a sub-4" display is about as likely as that voiceless, cellular data-only iPhone you wanted a few years back.

Smartphones are primarily used to consume and share rich media. Small screens are barely adequate for the vast majority of people, young or old. Ever see an older individual struggle to read text on an iPhone 4? Seen those cheap flip phones designed specifically for old people with enormous number pads? Bold/Larger text in iOS 7 was a godsend, but it's not enough. At least one of my friends who bought an iPhone 6 Pluse is using it in "zoomed" mode. He's in his late 20s, but he's red/green colorblind. The blown-up detail helps he discern colors that might be obvious to us, but borderline to him.

The difference between 3.5" and 4" iPhone displays is minimal. It's not worth opining. Be glad the 4" display is alive and well for another year. Be glad again when Paul's prediction is true and Apple releases an updated 'premium' 4" next year. Be even more glad when they shave off some extra fat by eschewing bilateral symmetry.

As far as naming goes, I doubt they ever officially append calendar years to product names. The two low-end iPhones being sold today would be both be "2013" models and still need additional designations. I see the next round along these lines:

iPhone 5C (possible silent update to 5S level innards)
iPhone 6 mini (4" screen, A8 processor, 16/32/64GB storage, new colors)
iPhone 6S (4.7", A9 processor, 32/64/128GB storage, new colors)
iPhone 6S Plus (5.5", A9 processor, 32/64/128GB storage, new colors)

It's ugly, but not really worse than iPhone Plus 2015, iPhone 2015, iPhone mini 2015 and iPhone 2014/2013. It's still better than "Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch by Sprint."

Last edited by Eugene : 2014-09-20 at 05:38.
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chucker
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: near Bremen, Germany
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2014-09-20, 12:14

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
A new iPhone with a sub-4" display is about as likely as that voiceless, cellular data-only iPhone you wanted a few years back.

Smartphones are primarily used to consume and share rich media. Small screens are barely adequate for the vast majority of people, young or old. Ever see an older individual struggle to read text on an iPhone 4? Seen those cheap flip phones designed specifically for old people with enormous number pads? Bold/Larger text in iOS 7 was a godsend, but it's not enough. At least one of my friends who bought an iPhone 6 Pluse is using it in "zoomed" mode. He's in his late 20s, but he's red/green colorblind. The blown-up detail helps he discern colors that might be obvious to us, but borderline to him.
You really didn't need two paragraphs to mansplain to me that you deem my request unimportant to the market.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
The difference between 3.5" and 4" iPhone displays is minimal. It's not worth opining. Be glad the 4" display is alive and well for another year.
Oh, but I'm not, because the 5S they're keeping around has, of course, not been upgraded in hardware. In fact, it's been downgraded, since it can no longer be had with 64 GB.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
Be glad again when Paul's prediction is true and Apple releases an updated 'premium' 4" next year.
I won't be "glad". I will be 'purchasing'.

Try being less of a dick.
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Wrao
Yarp
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Road Warrior
 
2014-09-20, 12:23

I think Apple will rename/brand the iPhone as either just "iPhone" dropping the numerical signifiers or as "Apple Phone". Maybe not the next version though. I would suspect for the sake of simplicity that the next update is called the iPhone 7 and 7+

My bet is that it won't be as impressive an update as a typical 'S' update. Better processor(that will mostly be about efficiency than performance), maybe sapphire displays.

Can someone clarify the force touch function on the Apple Watch? Does that rely on pressing against a surface to work like how a magic trackpad works? Or is it more clever than that. Either way, I would think they'll try and incorporate that into other devices eventually(although it might be confusing to have on an iPhone)

I'd like to hope the camera keeps improving but at this point it seems like they've literally run into some physics that might slow things down(distance from lens to sensor mostly but size of components as well)

I think Apple keeps the 4" form factor a bit longer, obviously they'll do so just based on their usual slow rolloff of older models but I could see the 5C design being revamped into looking a bit more like a 6, still plastic, but fitting the 4" slot.

I've been saying it forever, people wanna act like Apple is copying or following by introducing bigger models but it follows their behavior to a T. They've done the same thing with almost every single device they make. Start with one-size-fits-all and justifications for why it's the best size and a few years later they have 2 or 3 sizes and a complete product picture. It makes a lot of sense to keep the 4" form factor, in plastic, to be the 'free' phone(or whatever).
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2014-09-20, 15:27

Just saying you're a fringe customer who demands a small display, but premium everything else. I'd understand if you were suggesting ways to increase the screen size on a 4S sized device, such as shrinking its chins and moving the home button to the back.

You want a faster processor and more RAM? Maybe you should compromise on screen size then. Like Anand and virtually everyone else, my usage habits have changed since the original iPhone came out. My display size preferences have changed too.

Last edited by Eugene : 2014-09-20 at 16:35.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2014-09-20, 17:29

Going back to my wishes for an ongoing, current-spec 4" iPhone, I can't believe I never thought of a particular scenario some may deal with (and one that strikes home for me). 12 years ago, my sister had a stroke. She's fine now, married to a great guy, she's a stay-home mom (the only one I know, in fact), two healthy, smart kinds, etc. But she never fully regained usage of her left hand. She can place it (using her right hand) into a scenario to hold or brace something, if needed. But there's no true dexterity, strength or movement. It just kinda hangs there, for lack of a better word. She sometimes has to wear a stretcher(?) glove/brace thing to keep it from just withering (atrophy? I don't know the terminology) into a permanent closed/claw-like grip. But for ever a decade, she's done everything with her right hand...her remaining good hand (cooks, cleans, drives, types, takes care of herself, etc.). And she does really well. If you see her, you'd never know she had such a major medical issue. Early on, she walked with a limp, her face drooped a little and her speech was slurred...all that's gone now, thank goodness. The only remaining trace of what happened is her "dead" left hand.

She's 4-5" shorter than I am, and so her hands are certainly smaller than mine. At some point, Apple's (as things stand now) possible decision to not carry the 4" model forward (and just use the model as a "last year's offering") will be unfortunate. A 5.5" iPhone for her is definitely out, but just seeing how she uses her iPhone 5 (a "barely there" thumb-span, simply due to her being a smaller woman), I have serious doubts about her ability to get around well on the 4.7".

Granted, this is a very specific case. But through stroke, amputation, injury, nerve damage, birth defect, etc., there are people out there who only have a single fully-functioning hand...but they've been able to fully use and enjoy an iPhone for all these years. It's a shame that the dropping of the 4" (I know the 4" exists in the 5s and 5c...I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about two years from now if they decide to quite updating them, etc.) could have a true, real-world impact on users. I'm been talking about the loss of full one-handed use on the iPhone 6 models primarily from a "what I'm used to/what I prefer" standpoint...but in a pinch, I know I can always bring my other hand into the picture, if needed. My sister - and others - simply don't have that option.

As inclusive and big on diversity as Apple is - and with some many accessibility-related features built into iOS to help customers with certain handicaps or afflictions - it would be a shame that something like a hardware change would knock longtime, loyal users out of the running.

I fully believe - and can't be convinced otherwise - that the new iPhone 6 sizes should've been additions, and not replacements. In my opinion, more than ever, I believe Apple kinda goofed on this. It's like they said "everyone's squawking about bigger iPhones...okay, here!" and just completely threw out the perfectly-sized, used-by-gazillions 4" model. And if they don't rethink it for 2015/6s, that could result in some true frustration or disappointment for many on their next go-around. At some point, some people's time with an iPhone may be ticking down...there could be a time, 3-4 years from now, where there may not be a viable size for many users if the 4" is completely gone from the lineup. Apple shouldn't let that happen. There's no good reason to. Every app in the universe is designed for that size/resolution...the new 6 models are the weirdo anomalies, requiring developer effort and tweaking!

I sincerely hope that Apple puts the 4" model back into the mix of ongoing, future development. Five years from now, I'd love to see my sister - or anyone else - still being able to comfortably, and fully, use her 4" iPhone 8 (or whatever it's called).

Last edited by psmith2.0 : 2014-09-20 at 17:44.
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2014-09-20, 17:44

Smaller iPhones aren't doomed, they're just going to be the budget offerings in that $0,$100 subsidized price range. You can still buy 4" display phones from Samsung, LG, HTC, Nokia and just about every other major manufacturer.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2014-09-20, 17:56



I'm aware of all that. It doesn't fix or address the things I talk about.

a) eventually they're going to stop development on the 4" size cases. Maybe not next year, but at some point it'll happen. But why should people - disabled or otherwise - have to make do with last year's models/specs (and their eventual disappearance, most likely...will Apple keep the 5s and 5c casing around, but squeeze last years flagship components - A8, A9, etc. - into it forever?) if all they want is the size that has served them well all this time? It's not like the 4" is suddenly less-than, undesirable or unworkable (as I wrote above, every app on the planet is already designed for it; there's no extra work or hassle to design for it...like there is with these new sizes).

b) If you're a 4-5 year happy iPhone user, and you've invested in the media, accessories, the ecosystem and all that is Apple (as my sister and others I know have done) - they don't want to hear about Samsung, LG, HTC and all that. That's completely missing the point. If I was irked at having to use last year's model for the foreseeable future (just because I prefer a small, reasonable size), I'd sure as hell not be enthusiastic about going to to what I believe is an inferior platform and experience.

That's no solution!

"We're all out of Junior Mints, but we do have some stale lint and a pretty nice selection of toenail clippings if you'd like to give those a try."





Yes, I'm comparing Android to stale lint and toenail clippings.
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2014-09-20, 18:14

Scenario (A) is not going to happen. No need to scare yourself into a Chicken Little panic. Just like flip phones and dumb phones before them, 4" phones are staying around forever. There's a vast market for them outside of chucker and your sister. All those burgeoning middle-class Brazilians, Indonesians, Indians, Chinese, etc. people have to start somewhere. Manufacturing is also to the point where profit margins on volume phones might see an uptick again.

As for developing apps in relation to screen dimensions. There's only four flexible display modes defined by your device and its orientation. There's landscape-normal, landscape-constrained, portrait-normal and portrait-constrained. Right now the iPhone 6 and below are constrained in both orientations, whereas the 6 Plus is portrait-constrained. Developing universal iDevice apps is easier than ever since they finally got around to defining rules for variable displays.

To reiterate, the iPhone 4" will continue to be developed in the forseeable future...probably far into the next big paradigm shift, but it will be one upgrade cycle behind for the purposes of upselling the bigger phones. That's not as bad as you think. The A8 in the iPhone 6 is not appreciably faster than the A7 in the iPhone 5S. If you look at Apple's own plot of iPhone CPU power, you'll notice that it tapered with this iteration and will likely continue to taper. If you look at the desktop processor market you'll notice that Intel/AMD CPUs really have not gotten any significant IPC gains in about 3 years. The only strides have been in cramming more cores into the same packages thanks to die shrinks.

What's the biggest difference other than the processor going from iPhone 5S to iPhone 6? Apple Pay? 802.11ac? The barometer? This is a very minimal update for even iPhone 5 users. The main reason I upgraded was for the larger screen, 128 GB storage and 3rd-party apps now have Touch ID support. I almost chose not to upgrade.

Last edited by Eugene : 2014-09-20 at 19:02.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2014-09-20, 18:45

That's good then.

Do you keep 128GB of apps around (that would be hundreds), or is that for music and photos/video mostly? I could almost see me filling up a 32GB iPhone (if I synced my entire iTunes and iPhoto library to my phone, I certainly would). I don't think I'd ever have less than 25GB free on a 64GB model, but I wouldn't know what to do with a 128GB iPhone!
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2014-09-20, 18:59

Quote:
Originally Posted by pscates2.0 View Post
That's good then.

Do you keep 128GB of apps around (that would be hundreds), or is that for music and photos/video mostly? I could almost see me filling up a 32GB iPhone (if I synced my entire iTunes and iPhoto library to my phone, I certainly would). I don't think I'd ever have less than 25GB free on a 64GB model, but I wouldn't know what to do with a 128GB iPhone!
It's about half apps, and half of all other media combined, plus 5GB for iOS 8 and binary/decimal foolery. TomTom's various turn-by-turn guides take up 1.7GB on their own. I could use Apple Maps, but I like the real TomTom apps more. iWork and iLife apps are huge. I actually don't have many games installed, but those are gigantic too.

With the additional storage, I plan on storing more music locally rather than just my favorite playlists/setlists. I also plan on being lazier about deleting non-keeper photos/videos from my library. The biggest issue now is my iPad mini at 32GB would be inundated by all those extra photos with iCloud Photo Library enabled.

Last edited by Eugene : 2014-09-20 at 19:13.
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chucker
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: near Bremen, Germany
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2014-09-21, 01:15

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
Just saying you're a fringe customer who demands a small display, but premium everything else. I'd understand if you were suggesting ways to increase the screen size on a 4S sized device, such as shrinking its chins and moving the home button to the back.
I wouldn't mind a smaller bezel. Home button on the back sounds like a terrible idea. But, sure, you want suggestions based on the unproven assertion that they're making the iPhones bigger because they need more space — make them less anorexic. That way, you can fit a bigger battery in it. Everything else hasn't actually increased in size (see below).

In any case, I'm OK with the 5S — I just can't grip it anywhere near as well as the 4S, despite my rather large hands, and excuse me for considering that a deterioration. Whereas I never needed a case for the 3G and 4S because they rarely fell to the floor (and when they did, it was merely a scratch on the back), the 5S fell on concrete thrice within its first few months, simply because I can't grip it quite as well. The non-sticky metal back (rather than the 4S's glass) doesn't help. It only means a few scratches on the edges, but I still don't have to like it.

And, as usability goes, typing feels harder on it, because I can no longer easily lock it inside my hands using index and little fingers while typing with the thumb.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
You want a faster processor and more RAM? Maybe you should compromise on screen size then. Like Anand and virtually everyone else, my usage habits have changed since the original iPhone came out. My display size preferences have changed too.
Actually, do consider going back to Anand, because turns out the A8 is actually smaller than A5, A6 and A7, i.e. both the 4S's and 5S's processor. Since it ships with the same amount of RAM as the 5S, I see no reason to believe why the 6's RAM would take up more space. The upcoming LPDDR4 will surely shrink it a little again.
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2014-09-21, 02:46

Sounds like a horrible idea to you, yet the natural resting position of my index fingertip is right over the Apple logo on the back of the phone. I think it's a change people will easily adapt to and it facilitates bringing larger screens to smaller phones. For me it's more difficult to press the home button on a smaller iPhone with my thumb because the whole phone has to move outward toward my fingertips. A wider phone wedges itself firmly in my palm/grasp. In contrast I can easily actuate a hypothetical backside home button with single, double, triple-clicks or a soft touch for Reachability / Touch ID using my index finger.

Did you really infer that I had concerns about the A8's physical size in a 5S enclosure? I'm saying any 4" iPhone Apple sells now will be intentionally crippled by lesser components. Apple wants to maintain profit margins at certain price points AND they also want the upsell. You think OIS and significantly longer battery life was skipped over in the iPhone 6 for any reason other than differentiation? Why do you think the 64GB iPhone 5S no longer exists? Apple is drawing artificial lines in an effort to push everyone toward the higher-priced, higher-revenue options.

Also taking a page from Steve Jobs, if you are trying to straddle a smartphone vertically between your index and little fingers, you are "doing it wrong." The universal grip involves gripping the phone between your thumb's Palm pad and the rest of your fingers.

Last edited by Eugene : 2014-09-21 at 04:50.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2014-09-21, 20:30

Regarding the future of the 4" form factor: it's worth remembering that until last week, the most popular phone in the world had a 4" display, so clearly some people like it. There's a good discussion of this on the latest Talk Show. And let's not forget the half of the population that tend to have smaller hands—I know several women who think anything larger than a 4" iPhone is just too big, and Internet Hero Brianna Wu has voiced the same opinion on her Twitter as well.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
As far as naming goes, I doubt they ever officially append calendar years to product names. The two low-end iPhones being sold today would be both be "2013" models and still need additional designations. I see the next round along these lines:

iPhone 5C (possible silent update to 5S level innards)
iPhone 6 mini (4" screen, A8 processor, 16/32/64GB storage, new colors)
iPhone 6S (4.7", A9 processor, 32/64/128GB storage, new colors)
iPhone 6S Plus (5.5", A9 processor, 32/64/128GB storage, new colors)

It's ugly, but not really worse than iPhone Plus 2015, iPhone 2015, iPhone mini 2015 and iPhone 2014/2013. It's still better than "Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch by Sprint."
If you read my post, I wasn't saying I thought Apple would call next year's iPhone "iPhone 2015." I think they should call it "iPhone" or "iPhone 7." I only titled the thread this way because we don't know what next year's iPhone will be called, and "Next Year's iPhone" wouldn't date well.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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Partial
Stallion
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Milwaukee
 
2014-09-21, 23:33

I would bet a large sum of money that Robo is right w/ the naming. Having said that...

I think it will be like this:

iPhone mini - 4" - colorful plastic enclosures like today. Possibly a throwback to the original iPod mini color set, as that color set was the bomb! 0$ on contract.

iPhone - 4.7" - aluminum

iPhone Plus - 5.5" - aluminum.

Basically, the mini will remain plastic for margins. I suspect it will always have slightly older, worst specs. I think they drop the 5 or 6 naming conventions for the 2015 update. It would be too confusing.

Imagine this line-up:

iPhone 5s - free
iPhone 6 - 99
iPhone 6+ - 199
iPhone 6S - 199
iPhone 6S+ - 299

Too complicated for the consumer.

...and calling/e-mailing/texting ex-girlfriends on the off-chance they'll invite you over for some "old time's sake" no-strings couch gymnastics...
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2014-09-22, 01:50

That is too complicated for the consumer, and I don't think there's any reason to offer an older 6 Plus at the same time as a 6S Plus. I think the real question is whether the very large screen iPhone stays $299 with subsidy. Apple will feel compelled to keep that price point on the high-end while selling phones at $199, $99 and $0 as well. That's why I kept four phones in my hypothetical line-up...the two low-end options being 4", but the $99 one having a premium aesthetic.

I do think they'll be branded iPhone, iPhone mini and iPhone Plus. I also think the 4th lowest end iPhone will become the "iPhone colors" or something like that.
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Partial
Stallion
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Milwaukee
 
2014-09-22, 12:10

I like the idea of Apple making the 4.7" pay-to-play and dropping the 99 on contract price level. They'll get some peeps with the 0-on-contract iPhone 4", and then the majority that want the larger screen will pony up the cash. That is really good for the iPhone ASP.

4" 16GB - free on contract
4.7" 32GB - 199 on contract
5.5" 32GB - 299 on contract

That is my guess for the 2015 line-up.

...and calling/e-mailing/texting ex-girlfriends on the off-chance they'll invite you over for some "old time's sake" no-strings couch gymnastics...
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Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2014-09-22, 19:02

Apple hasn't cared much about ASP ever since it started retaining last-gen phones and selling the iPhone 5C. Volume, revenue, new markets/categories are more important.
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Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2014-09-23, 17:21

Quote:
Originally Posted by pscates2.0 View Post
As for colors, I think that's just a complete logistical - manufacturing, shipping, stock, inventory - hassle. Especially when you consider that most everyone covers the colored parts with a case of some sort. I just think it's wasted effort and needless complexity.
But of course, Apple already makes an iPhone that comes in a bunch of colors, logistical hassle notwithstanding. I'm not saying they'd make an iPhone mini in colors and a 5C in colors, or whatever. Just something like

$0 iPhone 5S in gold/silver/space grey
$99 iPhone mini in pink, blue, green, silver, space grey
$199 iPhone in gold/silver/space grey
$299 iPhone Plus in gold/silver/space grey

That's the same number of colors/SKUs as now, just switching the "color model" from the free tier to the $99 tier. Which I think makes sense; that tier sells better and stores are more likely to want to stock all the colors. (We carried all the colors of the $99 5C but now that it's free we're only ordering blue and white; we just don't sell as many of the free-tier phones. I can't remember the last time we sold a 4S. We don't even have the 5C on display any more.)

With colors and a new name and marketing spin, the $99 tier becomes less "last year's value model" and more of it's own, uniquely desirable thing—which was Apple's assumed motivation for testing the waters with the iPhone 5C in the first place. I think this is especially true if the $99 tier is its own unique size class, like it would be in this "iPhone mini" scenario.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eugene View Post
Apple hasn't cared much about ASP ever since it started retaining last-gen phones and selling the iPhone 5C. Volume, revenue, new markets/categories are more important.
I don't know, I think keeping the entry level 6es at 16GB but bumping the other tiers up a notch is a pretty clear play to increase their ASP by making the higher-end sizes more desirable than they were before. And of course, the iPhone Plus itself could be considered an attempt to increase ASP by introducing a new pricier super-iPhone option.

I think Apple cares a lot about all the key metrics of their business, and ASP is one of them. They're explicitly not making the low-margin volume play many assumed they had to (remember when the plastic iPhone was going to be $200?).

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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Stallion
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Milwaukee
 
2014-09-24, 13:36

^ great point. One could argue that not only was the "cheap" iPhone not cheap, it's place and design were created solely to keep margins up while selling it at a premium price!

I think Apple cares a great deal about their margins. I think they do whatever they can to keep margins at 60%+ on iPhones.

...and calling/e-mailing/texting ex-girlfriends on the off-chance they'll invite you over for some "old time's sake" no-strings couch gymnastics...
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