Event

The Mystery of the iPhone 5C placement in Apple’s lineup

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Apple Event 10th September 2013

As recent rumors have pegged, tonight’s Apple event will introduce two new iPhones – the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C.

We have seen enough leaks to know everything there is to know about the iPhone 5C’s five colors and construction, and how they are really just iPhone 5 innards in a new plastic housing.

That said, the exact placement of the iPhone 5C in Apple’s iPhone lineup remains a mystery up till now.

In a previous post, I had revealed that the iPhone 5C had a 4-inch screen and a Lightning port (thanks to my friends) and speculated that the iPhone 5C will replace the iPhone 4S at the lowest end of the iPhone lineup and complete the transition of the iPhone line to Lightning ports and 4-inch screens this year, leaving the iPhone 5S at the top and the current iPhone 5 in the middle of the lineup.

I still think that this will be the arrangement, but rumors (from idiotic analysts nonetheless) suggest that the iPhone 5C will replace the iPhone 5 completely, leaving only the two new iPhones (and the old iPhone 4S) in the iPhone lineup.

This is weird for various reasons.

Firstly, it will leave a big gap between the pricing of the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, assuming that the iPhone 5C will be quite a bit cheaper than the iPhone 5S. Previous years, the mid-range iPhones have always been about 100USD cheaper than the top-of-the-line models, and people who are intending to buy mid-range this year will not be happy that they are paying for something that are not last year’s models, at the same top-range-minus-hundred price point.

Secondly, it will not be feasible to have the iPhone 4S remain on the lineup, for the extra effort Apple needs to maintain the dock connector accessories and the assumed extra cost of making the iPhone 4S’ metal and glass housing will outweigh the benefits of just letting the same production lines making the now lesser in demand iPhone 4S continue running.

The only reason/way I can see it (iPhone 5C replacing the iPhone 5) is if the supply yield of the delicate aluminum and glass housing of the iPhone 5 still remains small today even after one year of production, due to the care needed to prevent scratches on the soft aluminum on the assembly lines.

If that is truly the case, it will make sense for Apple to divert all current iPhone 5 housing production lines to the production of the iPhone 5S, to ensure maximum supply of the iPhone 5S on launch day (20th September) and in the months after that, especially with the rumored increase in color choice.

Plastic housings are extremely cheap and easy to produce (ask Samsung), and will be produced fast enough to meet iPhone 5C launch demand, and a big supply of iPhone 5Cs is need if China is going to be part of the first launch countries this year.

Apple will still have to adjust their prices accordingly, and there will still be a gap, unless of course they just went ahead with the old top-range-minus-hundred pricing assuming that people will pay for the "newness" of the multi colored iPhone 5C lineup.

Can’t wait for tonight! Will love a blue 5C.

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My iPad 3 Predictions

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Wednesday night (or Thursday morning) is iPad 3 day, and here are my predictions;

1. No LTE

Sorry, but LTE is really just not feasible in anywhere besides the States right now. In fact, it really isn’t even that feasible within the States, where LTE coverage is really less than ideal.

2. Retina Display, 2X of the original iPad resolution

Given.

3. iPad 2 8GB, to accompany iPad 3 16GB, 32GB, 64GB.

Which means no 128GB. It’s really just part of Apple’s recent strategy, to continue selling old stuff for cheap. It’s really not new, Apple for years have continue to sell previous generation models through the “refurbished models” page on their site, and putting it out front and centre is just a way to sell even more of the old stock (though with the 8GB they probably have to modify the old stock).

4. Naming? iPad 3

No particular reason, I just like iPad 3 more than iPad 2S or iPad HD.

5. Apps to demo the iPad 3 on? Aperture for iPad

Dan Benjamin thinks it’s Photoshop Touch, but he really is mistaken. For the past don’t-know-how-many iPhone/iPad events, new Apple apps have always accompanied the release of the devices, and this one shouldn’t be any different. And it’s finally time for Aperture for the iPad, because iPhoto on the iPad will be really weird due to the presence of the Photos app.

6. Design? Almost exactly the same as iPad 2, slightly difference in thickness.

Given. Too many pieces of evidence lately.

7. Camera? 5MP

Why? Cause it’s cheap enough by now.

8. Accessories? “Works with Smart Cover!” New colors.

If the case design is largely the same, no reason why it won’t work with the current line of Smart Covers. The design of the Smart Cover is such that it will accommodate many future iPads so long the design of the iPad itself isn’t that big of a difference in terms of shape. New colors will just give everyone a reason to buy new Smart Covers, which is what Apple really wants.

9. OS version? iOS 5.1 with Siri

Seriously though, Siri is getting pretty slow these days, so it will only hurt if they put Siri on the iPad. But Apple always put its new software features and apps on every new device that they debut, so it’s highly possible.

10. Singapore Launch Date? 23rd March 2012, Friday

Seriously it’s a tie between the 23rd and the 30th, but I won’t be able to make it on the 30th. So I’m putting all hope on the 23rd! Peeps in US, Japan, Britain get theirs this coming Friday.