Quote:
Originally Posted by Russic
I actually agree. Apple doesn't aim for the discount market and they have a certain level of pride about that. The rumours are pointing to a plastic iPhone, but it's important to remember there are many third-party manufacturers out there that make alternate back cases for iPhones.
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The only reason Apple would do plastic would be to preserve margins, and I think that is unlikely - they demonstrated with the iPad Mini that they were perfectly content to take a hit on margin and also cannibalize their own sales to push the platform to the forefront. They've said that in several investor relations sessions, so I have little doubt that they will do the same thing in the "budget iPhone" space if they choose to take that angle.
However, I'm going to make my prediction which is that there is no budget iPhone - there is only the next iPhone. The iPhone 5 will be the budget phone, just like the 4S was to the 5, and the 3GS was to the 4 (and to the 4GS simultaneously I believe). The significant factor in all of this is that we know the 4GS will run iOS 7, and from videos I've seen, runs it not too badly.
Besides, new colours won't go on a budget phone because I can say with almost absolute certainty that they will become the hot new thing, and if so, you might as well make that the premium price product.