14 DAY TRIAL // Apple last week pulled the iPhone 4 from circulation, after resuming production to continue to sell the handset in emerging markets. One of the reasons for the retraction was the company’s trade-in program, but now it seems that the real motive has come to light.
The colorful iPhone 5c, essentially a repackaged iPhone 5, is now coming to India (and presumably other emerging markets) in its cheapest form yet. Customers in the country will be able to purchase the device for around Rs. 35,000 (€586 / €426), which is the off-contract price. With a two-year wireless plan, the cost could go down to just Rs. 6,000, or around $100 / €72.
The 8GB iPhone 5c is currently available in pretty much every important market in the world. Countries that got initial access to the low-end phone (so to speak) included the UK, France, Germany, Australia, China, and more recently the phone was launched in the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, Ireland, Portugal, Austria, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, and Norway.
The United States is notably absent from the list of countries where the 8GB variant is available. India will be next to receive shipments of the handset in the coming weeks, according to NDTV Gadgets. The report, citing unnamed sources, adds that Apple is likely to debut the phone in even more emerging markets.
The company markets the iPhone 5c as “for the colorful,” emphasizing the phone’s vibrant colors, which is basically the only aspect that sets it apart from the aluminum-built iPhone 5 that launched in 2012.
“Color makes a statement and reveals your personality,” says the Cupertino giant. “And iPhone 5c comes in five unlike-anything-else colors. Add one of the six Apple-designed cases (sold separately), and it quickly goes from colorfully cool to impossible to ignore.”
Talking about the specs, Apple dishes out such features as the “A6 chip. 8MP iSight camera. 4-inch Retina display. Ultrafast LTE wireless. iPhone 5c has the things that made iPhone 5 an amazing phone — and more, including iOS 7. As a result, it’s as powerful as it is expressive,” the marketing reads.
iPhone 5c made its debut with iOS 7, but it is unclear if Apple will pre-install the 8GB handsets with the newest firmware, iOS 7.1.1.
Shipped in a transparent box akin to that of the iPod touch, iPhone 5c comes with Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic, Lightning to USB Cable, and a 5W USB Power Adapter.