Budget iPhone

Five 'Budget iPhone' stories April 2013 - January 2014

Apple reportedly planning to bring back 8 GB iPhone 4 in India to combat slow sales

Mike Beasley Jan 13 2014 - 5:48 pm PT

The Times of India reports that Apple is planning to re-introduce the 8 GB version of the iPhone 4 in India to combat its sluggish sales. The report states that the company hopes the even lower price of the device will help win back its share of the market, which is slipping away to competitors.

The phone would be available at a lower price than before, reportedly around ₹15,000 (about $240). Apple lost a large portion of its market share in India after phasing out the iPhone 4, which was previously one of the country’s top three phones.

In the US, Virgin Mobile has kept the venerable iPhone 4 8GB around, selling it for a measly $179 Off contract.

Virgin Mobile offers the iPhone 5s for $549, 5c for $449 (both $100 off) unsubsidized

Seth Weintraub Oct 2 2013 - 5:30 am PT

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From 9to5Toys.com:

We knew Virgin Mobile was launching the iPhone 5s and 5c today, but we weren’t expecting a $100-off starting price. That’s what’s on offer today from the Sprint subsidiary (Sprint will also knock off $100 the subsidized plans if you are a new customer – so much for loyalty benefits).

Virgin’s plans are the least expensive out there, especially considering they include unlimited data and start at $30/month.

Another Sprint pre-paid subsidy, Boost mobile is likely going to offer the iPhone in coming days/weeks/months.
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Will the Plastic iPhone knock the iPhone 4S out of this year’s free iPhone pattern?

Ben Lovejoy Jun 24 2013 - 8:23 am PT

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Credit: Ferry Passchier

We’ve seen a pretty consistent pattern when a new iPhone is released: the previous model gets significantly cheaper, and the model before that tends to be widely available on free-with-contract deals. We’ve already seen the process beginning in anticipation of the 5S, with AT&T cutting the on-contract price of the iPhone 5 to $99 and 4S to $49, with Walmart going a little further with a $39 deal for the 4S.

But with the prospect of the long-awaited low-cost (or lower-cost!) iPhone being released at the same time as the 5S, might we expect to see the plastic iPhone being offered as the freebie in the iPhone 4S’s place … ?
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Rumor: Cheaper iPhone is being tested in a plethora of colors, will be produced July-September

Seth Weintraub May 23 2013 - 12:59 pm PT

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Credit: Ferry Passchier

Japanese Blog Macotakara purports to have some interesting details on the plastic ‘low cost’ iPhone Apple is expected to release later this year. The site says that runs of colors Navy, Gold Orange, White and Gray are in one run of the device and White, Pink, Green, Blue and Yellow-orange are in another. There is no black model according to the report.

Theoretically these models will be tested in small numbers and some might not make the cut, if the report is to be believed.

Their source also indicates that the cheaper iPhone will be produced 1,000 units for field test from June, and will be produced during July-September for shipping. If you want to see what these colors might look like head over to our mockup gallery where we tried to cover all of the bases.

Budget iPhone rear shell leaked?

Ben Lovejoy Apr 18 2013 - 6:50 am PT

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Could this be the rear case of the long-rumored low-cost iPhone? Tactus (via Macrumors) thinks so.

While Tactus doesn’t have a notable track-record in such leaks, the design does appear reasonably consistent with the majority of rumors so far. It’s a plastic shell, similar dimensions to the iPhone 4 but a little thicker as you’d expect with a polycarbonate casing.

Tactus also claims to have some details of the phone’s spec:

I’ve also heard on the grapevine that the alleged budget iPhone will have an A5 processor like the iPad Mini with a 32nm diecast. It’s also rumoured it will have a 3.5 inch retina screen, much like the 4S, but not as big as the iPhone 5 … I’ve also discovered the factory producing this secretive project have confirmed the device will be available in Black, White, Blue, Red and Yellow

Tactus got a picture of an iPhone back shell, and then decided to make up a load of other random facts. Hey ho, still better than DigiTimes.

— Benjamin Mayo (@bzamayo) April 18, 2013

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