Apple Has Just Divided The World Into Two Classes: The Gold iPhone People And The Plastic iPhone Peo

[FarCenter]

Apple's announcement today of two new iPhones — the expensive iPhone 5S and the cheap iPhone 5C — gives consumers, indeed society, a clear choice: gold iPhone or plastic iPhone?

This is not a simple question.

It's about your identity, your status.

Gold or plastic?

Can you afford the new gold iPhone, at $399 for the high-end model? Or will you be forced to take the $99 deal on the plastic iPhone?

(Let's not even mention those of you who are thinking of taking an iPhone 4S. Sure, it's now free with a contract. But what does that say about you as a person? It doesn't bear thinking about.)


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-has-just-divided-the-world-into-two-classes-the-gold-iphone-people-and-the-plastic-iphone-people-2013-9

[Drale]

1. So this is how Civil War 2 starts? /nt

[jollyreaper2112]

2. You still need to put a case on the sucker to keep it from breaking

So who's to see?

[longship]

30. ^THIS^

Except for the new fad of having a Gold iPhone with a broken display glass.

Now that's real status.

[Poll_Blind]

3. LOL. Figures.nt

PB

[HappyMe]

4. And exactly no fucks were given....

[hlthe2b]

5. Honestly, if you are just going to put a case on it, who cares? Besides, my iphone4, is perfectly

fine... So, I guess I'm of the "cheapskate" (aka frugal, pragmatic, non-frivolous) class.

[Gravitycollapse]

9. The C is 100 dollars cheaper.

With essentially the same performance specs. The C is priced to compete better with other phones while still maintaining the Iphone mystique. I think it's a genius move.

[Atman]

15. I'm also still using a 4.

It's in perfect condition, does everything I need. I wouldn't ever use Siri anyway, and the increased screen size of the 5 doesn't warrant having to buy all new chargers and cases. I'm pretty much on a "permanent upgrade" status with AT&T anyway because we've been "loyal customers" for so many years. Ironically, we haven't been...we hated AT&T when we got our first cell phones, so we eventually switched to Cingular, who wound up merging with AT&T again anyway. We really only have them by default and convenience.

[Berlum]

6. But One and All -- Heavy Metal or Plastic Ono -- is jubilant !

[ksoze]

7. Choice = class warefare? Pleeeeeze

The optional gold is a champagne color and is one of several colors for the 5S. The 5C will provide an entry level phone for those who do not need the 5C features.

[quinnox]

8. Meh, I don't want either one of them.

I would sell it if they gave it to me for free.

[Old and In the Way]

10. Probably more like electroless gold over nickel plate.

So that $10.00 plating process is costing an extra $300 bucks? I think I know which consumer is the idiot.

[FarCenter]

11. Petty much, since they both run iOS 7.

[Berlum]

22. But, only the S has the A7 64-bit processor chip

?w=550

[onenote]

34. in case facts matter

Its not the difference in casing that warrants a $300 price differential. Its the fact that the $99 5C is a 16GB phone and the $3995S is a 64GB phone. If you want a 16GB 5S, it will cost $199 -- still a $100 differential but nonetheless a more accurate comparison.

And to be honest, despite reading several articles about the two phones, I'm still uncertain as to whether the only difference between the 5C and 5S is the case or whether other upgrades in the functionality and features of the phones differ.

[Old and In the Way]

38. Honestly, I have been following these new product offerings.

Being a Droid fanboy and all.

[Bandit]

12. General Motors did that a hundred years ago when they came out with both

the Chevrolet and the Cadillac.. A good business sells what the customer wants..

[snooper2]

14. stop reading my mind (see my post below)

[snooper2]

13. Business Insider, always a day late and 63 IQ points short

The "World" was divided into two classes when this came out

[BlueJazz]

17. I get THAT one. Add on some trim and a little flash=$6,000 extra please!

[FarCenter]

21. The upscale version of the Chevy Cavalier.

[BlueJazz]

16. I'll be buying the Gold one. It gives me a strong feeling of accomplishment and superiority

Plus...I can look down at the Human Garbage that dares to show their inferior, disgusting plastic crap.

[quinnox]

18. heh

[TroglodyteScholar]

19. My plastic Razr suits me just fine, thanks... n/t

[Motown_Johnny]

20. There are 3 kinds of people, those who can count and those who can't

Some of us don't buy iPhones. I don't buy Apple anything. Never have and never will.


We exist also.

[Phentex]

23. I was wondering about the rest of us...

We aren't even on the radar!

[bobclark86]

24. Ermehgerd! Whatever will we do?

Oh, wait. "Buy" whatever phone is free from Verizon. They're already raping me for $178 a month for two smartphones (the cheapest smartphones, the cheapest plan, etc), I'm not giving those fucks a penny more than I have to.

[Rex]

25. Dam Apple and their caste system!

nt.

[leftstreet]

26. The world is already divided into two classes

Rich vs the rest of us

[PasadenaTrudy]

27. Sticking with my white iPhone 5

for as long as possible. Then, upgrade.

[TBF]

28. lol - and the rest of us will stay with our androids. nt

[MuseRider]

32. :-)

Very happily I might add.

[TBF]

33. I love my Samsung Note -

all I hear from my husband (iPhone from work) is how much he hates it.

[MuseRider]

36. I have a friend who has one

they look awesome. I have an S3 and am very happy with it. I will be getting a Note next time, if they still have them...I have a long wait. Happy with all my Samsung stuff. All of it.

[hobbit709]

29. I'll stay with my $15 Tracfone.

I don't need an overpriced iPOS.

[bigwillq]

31. I am fine with my 4S (nt)

[hughee99]

35. There are 10 kinds of people in this world...

those who understand binary, and those who don't.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

37. first world problems. nt

[dipsydoodle]

39. Maybe they'll do one with pastry case and call it a Strudel.

.

[Warren DeMontague]

40. Are they going to make the 5 smaller?

I keep mine in my pocket, so I'll stick with the 4S, thanks.

[csziggy]

41. So the people with no iPhone are classless?

I'll never own an Apple product, so no iPhone for me.

[bunnies]

43. Nah, we're not classless.

We're smart.

[csziggy]

48. But our phones may not be, LOL!

My cell phone is a small brick. Got it free from Tracfone. It can receive texts and may be able to send them, but the screen is so small reading texts is hard and I have no idea how to write a text on it.

It does what I need it to do - I can make and receive phone calls. I pay less than $5 a month for that privilege and get far more minutes than I can use when I renew my time with Tracfone.

[bunnies]

53. lol. I do have a smartphone...

but I also have my old pay as you go flip phones. Still has money on it and I cant bring myself to get rid of it. I can send texts, but Ive got to scroll through every letter on the keypad to do it. ugh! Right now it acts as an alarm clock. ha! bunnies-mr. still has his brick phone, too. No money left on his though.

Paid a hundred bucks for our smartphones and 40 bucks a month (each) with no contract. He uses his more than I do so its kind of a wash. I could still be totally fine with my flip phone though. Im not much of a talker, really.

I dont understand the need to have a sub-par phone for 600 bucks through apple though. Theyre constantly rated lower than other smart phones. But, you know, it has that snazzy apple, so its totally worth it to some people. Whatever.

[csziggy]

55. My justification is I get no cell signal at home

I can get a couple of bars if I leave the house and go to the top of the ridge - maybe one bar if I go out in the front yard.

I could see having a smart phone if I traveled or left the farm much. While I am doing more things since getting my new knees last year, I have stayed in the habits I developed when just walking was painful and find plenty to keep me busy at home.

Even if I ever get a smart phone, it will never be an Apple. Apple as a company angered me when we were rehabbing old computers to give to families who didn't have any. My husband and I rebuilt old Tandy computers, 286, 396 and 486 machines. All those machines had references and programs available online or from donations from user groups. We ended up building and giving away dozens of machines from donations of hardware and software. (I was doing it to learn about working on computers and the project snowballed out of control for a couple of years.)

But the pile of Apple ][e computers a school gave us ended up going into recycling. There were no references available online. The Apple user group blew us off and suggested we buy new computers to give away rather than rehabbing the old ones. Even the freeware programs that had been available back when we owned our original Apple ][ were no longer anywhere to be found - Apple Corporation had made sure they were expunged from public records.

After that experience, I will not give Apple Corporation any money in any form for any reason - EVER.

[Bjorn Against]

42. There is no $99 deal, the 5C is $549 and the 5S is $649

The only way you can get the 5C for $99 is if you sign a contract which forces you to pay much higher monthly rates than you would with a pre-paid plan. Monthly rates are so much lower on pre-paid phones (often less than half the monthly charge) that you will actually save hundreds of dollars by paying the full $549 rather than getting the $99 "deal". Never sign a contract on your phone, it is a huge rip off.

[loyalsister]

44. Where do those of us who still have flip phones fit?

[Generic Brad]

45. I will always opt for the cheap ass free phone

I drive an old car too that others would consider an embarrassment. My societal status, self worth, and net worth are not reflected in the things I own. I always choose function over form.

[Safetykitten]

46. Just when you think you have seem it all...you get this. iPhone class issues.

So spectacularly repugnant it defies all description.

[ksoze]

47. The issue is with the OP, not the models announced

[Retrograde]

49. If you don't mind using slightly older models

they're discounted a few months after the new models come out - I got my refurb iPhone 3 for $10 just after the one with Siri came out.

Apple stores fascinate me: they're usually located in prime retail real estate, and are very open and spacious inside. They're trying to project an air of high-tech sleekness, but every time I walk past one I imagine, "Just think of the enormous markups to pay for all that!"

[Whisp]

50. when you bite it, does it leave a dent?

[Skittles]

51. there's another class - people who don't buy Apple products

yes INDEED

[David__77]

52. As pointed out above, those are NOT the retail prices.

They are much higher unless you commit to a plan. I buy a cheap phone at Target and use a month-to-month plan that costs a LOT less.

[Ohio Joe]

54. I can't afford either...

Not sure where that leaves me

[HarveyDarkey]

56. There's another, IMO better, choice

no iPhone

[Initech]

59. Yup, I got me one of these:

- Quad core CPU
- 4.7" Full HD 1080P screen
- 32GB internal storage
- Current version of Android
- Aluminum unibody construction

Most of my friends who have iPhones have been eyeing my phone every time I bring it out.

[vanlassie]

57. Are you reading DU on your iPhone?

I am! It's awesome. Anywhere, any time. Do you have kids strewn to far off lands? I do! But I can see their sweet faces in real time when we talk for free on FaceTime. Check my bank balance, tomorrow's weather, google everything anytime, take sharper pictures then ever and email them or message them while we chat. Listen to music, watch a tv show... Yeah, I'm happy with my iPhone 5.

[PowerToThePeople]

58. Apple has divided: People who are wasteful and people who may not be.