"Budget" iPhone

[bobson (Bob)]

AUSTRALIANS will be the first to get the new iPhone but, for the first time, Apple fans will have to make a real choice. Apple announced the release of two new iPhones at a live event in Cupertino, California, early this morning, Australian time.
Here's what we know:

• Apple releases the iPhone 5S and 5C
• Both phones will be available to pre-order from the 13th of September
• Phones hit stores Friday September 20th.
• iPhone 5C will be available in a range of colours
• iPhone 5S will be also be available in "Champagne", silver and "Space Grey"
• Fingerprint scanner lets you buy apps, music, TV shows and films

The iPhone 5C is described as the "budget" model despite a starting price of $A739, and the high-end iPhone 5S which has a fingerprint scanner built in to the home button.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/technology/sm...#ixzz2eXAQg1pu

[AG Hybrid (Adrian)]

Yeah... I don't think Apple Australia knows what "budget" means. They just used it regardless of the price as a meaningless marketing buzz word and then went "There, they'll buy that". Teenagers and kids might enjoy the bright colors though.

The USA prices kind of match the term "budget" though. But with a $100 price difference with the 5S? Why would you bother.

[LewisM]

I can sell a budget iPhone 4 for about $200. Only major cracks on the front and back covers after the owner threw it against the wall at a high rate of knots.

[ZeroID (Brent)]

The 5C is only $99 in the US, how the heck do Aust suppliers justify $739 ??
That is just a ripoff ! !

[pluto (Hugh)]

Originally Posted by ZeroID

The 5C is only $99 in the US, how the heck do Aust suppliers justify $739 ??
That is just a ripoff ! !

That's $99 on a 2 year contract where as $739 would be outright.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

From the launch story in the SMH:

Retail prices for the iPhone 5S are: $869 for the 16-gigabyte (GB) model, $999 for the 32GB model and $1129 for the 64GB model.
...
The iPhone 5C comes in blue, green, pink, yellow and white polycarbonate bodies and will sell in Australia for $739 for the 16GB model and $869 for the 32GB model

Those will be for outright purchase.

[Steffen]

Australians always had the choice of purchasing iPhones outright or subsidised by a carrier on a contract. To American's, where carriers used to hold a firm grip over mobile phone retail, the former option is relatively new. Over there you will predominantly see the subsidised prices quoted. In other places (such as India) outright purchase is the only option.

Cheers
Steffen.