If someone told us a year ago that Apple would release a plastic, “cheaper” version of their acclaimed iPhone, we probably wouldn’t have believed them. However, the closer it got to the big Apple launch, the possibility seemed greater. China was a growing market Apple wanted to engage in and various designs had been linked that look a lot like a colourful, plastic iPhone.
So, is the new iPhone 5c a cheap plastic “bargain bucket” version of the iPhone 5s? Have Apple gone against everything they’ve done previously to release a cheaper phone? Yes and no, find out why…
Cheap?
The new iPhones are definitely cheery but are they cheap? They take you back to the old Nanos or even older than that, the iPod Minis. These products were great, offering something a bit different to the Classic iPods, but were they cheap? No, is the long and short of it.
They were made for a different purpose; you would buy an iPod Mini, because it was smaller and better suited to your lifestyle, it was something you could afford but it wasn’t cheap, after all not everyone has 5000 songs and nor can they afford to. It was right at the top of the price range for people who bought it and so, still kept its premium image.
This is what the iPhone 5c is attempting here, to appeal to different people with a new product. You probably wouldn’t buy your kids a new iPhone 5s, why would you? But, you might just stretch to an iPhone 5c. Most people don’t need ridiculous specs and the iPhone 5c is still a pretty good phone.
You can pre-order a new iPhone 5c right now from some retailers and it isn’t that cheap, it’s just about affordable for anyone who has a phone contract at the moment. You can find out more about the price and deals on offer on our iPhone 5c deals and offers page.
What’s different?
Colour, the main difference between the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 5c is simply colour. They’ve tweaked a few features here and there but essentially it’s the same phone, with a different back cover. It does look cool and is definitely appealing if you want a phone that stands out. If you’ve never had an iPhone before but want a phone that works well and looks good, this is it.
However, we think if you’ve already had an iPhone, this “new” iPhone addition will be less appealing, possibly even annoying. The “c” and the colourful plastic, as well as rehashing a great looking iPhone 5 make it almost a pointless, stagnant purchase for a current iPhone user.
So, if you’re a current iPhone owner excited by the prospect of saving a good chunk of money on the latest iPhone update, you’re probably better off getting a more affordable SIMO tariff.
If however, you’re considering this as your first, new iPhone – it’s a no brainer, go for it! You’ll be amazed at the ease of the Apple iOS 7 and you won’t be forking out a small fortune every month for the privilege. Make sure to keep an eye out for our best iPhone 5c deals.
