Apple May Be Developing iPhones with a Range of Prices

[Hondamaker]

I hope this hasn't been posted already.
Here is the article:

http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=13108


"Apple will release less expensive versions of the iPhone, if an unconfirmed report is correct.
First Generation iPhone
(view large image)This company's first smartphone is set to debut at the end of this month in two versions, one $600 and the other $500 with a two-year contract. Those are high prices even for high-end smartphones, and the consumers Apple is primarily targeting with the iPhone often get their phones for free when signing a contract.
Apple may already be working on new products for those who want some cheaper options. An analyst for American Technology Research, Shaw Wu, said in a recent note that he'd been told by unnamed sources that Apple is developing “lower cost iPhone prototypes for release at unspecified future dates.”
Wu had no additional details, like what features will be scaled back in order to reach the lower price points.
This wouldn't be out of character for Apple; It's iPod line of digital music players come in a wide range of prices and configurations.

[spacerog]

Originally Posted by Hondamaker

http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=13108


he'd been told by unnamed sources that Apple is developing “lower cost iPhone prototypes for release at unspecified future dates.”

Well, duh. It would be kind of stupid not to. Just like there are different macs at different price points and different iPods at different price points it would only make sence to also have diffeent phones at different price points.

I would expect these are at least a year away from the market though.

- SR

[wjp09]

.5 gb iphone 100 dollars. That would be a joke.

[JnC]

One problem that I foresee with next generation iPhones, is if the form factor becomes smaller, web apps that are being developed today may not completely fit on the screen.

Granted they could make the screen resolution finer. But then the keyboard will become harder to use.

[Lips2000]

Totally makes sense.

I don't think they would change the form factor at all but you wouldn't need to.

I can think of three different versions:

1. Same price as today WITH GPS ($600/8gig and $500/4gig)
2. Same phones on launch each dropped $100 ($500/8gig and $400/4gig)
3. Same phones at launch but no WiFi each dropped $200 from launch price ($400/8gig and $300/4gig)

BOOM!

Mark

[joe]

Originally Posted by Hondamaker

Wu had no additional details, like what features will be scaled back in order to reach the lower price points.
This wouldn't be out of character for Apple; It's iPod line of digital music players come in a wide range of prices and configurations.

I don't agree with this. I don't think the iPod and iPhone can be compared in this area.

The "wide range" of the iPod is only based on a combination of color and size across just three different models. Three models by themselves does not constitute a "wide range" so they must be talking about color and storage size. If you throw in two more color options on the iPhone you now have 6 "different" iPhones to choose from (2 sizes in 3 colors).

The iPod does one thing very very well: play audio. That's it. Now add on photos and you have the Nano. Now add on videos and games and you have the big "video" iPod.

But the iPhone does much more and differently. If you wanted a lower cost model of the iPhone, which features would you remove (or lessen)? Here's a list of some of the possibilities:

• iPod
• Internet
• Multi-touch
• Small Size and Weight
• Bluetooth
• WiFi
• Storage
• Sensors

I just don't see removing any features to make a lower-cost iPhone. It just wouldn't be an iPhone any more.

So you'd have to add features and sell/market them differently. Would the current iPhone drop to $100-200 while an iPhone with a couple more features sold for $500-600? I suppose that is a possibility if there is one major feature that could be added for a premium, but I just don't see dumbing down the current product to create a lower cost version.