“Unapologetically plastic.” The words that Apple hoped would defer criticism about the construction of the iPhone 5c, crowned Apple’s budget model by the press and analysts, ultimately doomed it. That is the opinion of Ken Segall, the former Apple ad executive that helped craft the company’s iconic “think different” campaign.
In Segall’s view, Apple’s attempt to turn what could be construed as a negative — the plastic construction of the iPhone 5c — into a positive backfired. A $100 on-contract price tag that was supposed to attract new user demographics may have also done more harm than help with buyers easily justifying an additional $100 for the iPhone 5s with its premium design and features.
At the core, Segall believes this can be traced back to Apple’s heritage as a company that doesn’t compromise when it comes to design and quality. It is a belief that was shared by Steve Jobs during his time at Apple. A “cheap” phone simply does not appeal to the company’s core user base.
Apple no doubt realizes the failures of the iPhone 5c’s launch, which is why it seems the concept will be abandoned during the line’s next refresh. Apple is likely to introduce two models this year as it did in 2014, but rumors suggest it will choose to differentiate the handsets based on screen size while retaining a similar design and build. One thing seems certain: Apple’s next “budget” iPhone won’t include nearly as much plastic. If it does, it will be far from the emphasis.
[via Ken Segall]
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