The iPhone 5C Is Not Worth It

The iPhone 5C Is Not Worth It

Apple recently announced 2 new models of iPhone, the iPhone 5S which starts at $199 on contract for a 16GB model, and the iPhone 5C which starts at $99 on contract for a 16GB model.  So here's a basic rundown of what these phones offer:

iPhone 5S
This is Apple's new flagship offering.  While the body of the phone is similar to their previous flagship model, the iPhone 5, it contains several hardware upgrades over the previous generation which should help to future-proof the device.

iPhone 5C
This is a new model of iPhone with a plastic body, and is offered in several colors.  It seems likely that the target audience of this phone is a more youthful audience between its lower price tag and bright colored options.  Internally, the hardware on this phone is nearly identical to the iPhone 5.

The Rip-Off
Here's why the iPhone 5C is not worth buying.  While it's similar to the iPhone 5 internally, the plastic casing is inferior to the aluminum body that was previously offered with the iPhone 5 and currently is offered on the 5S.  Why did Apple do this?  It seems likely that they found it would be more profitable to design and produce a phone with cheaper build materials than to continue to sell the iPhone 5 at a reduced price, which Apple has done with previous generations.  Perhaps they also decided it would be easier to market what is essentially previous generation hardware if they dress it up differently.

A Better Alternative
You may not feel the iPhone 5S with its finger print sensor, A7 64-bit processor, and improved camera sensor are not necessary.  Given the difference in built materials between the 5S and 5C, I would think that alone would be worth the extra $100 for a phone that you will most likely be using for at least the next 2 years.  If the 5S price still seems hefty, you may consider shopping around for remaining stock of the iPhone 5.  Currently, Verizon is still offering the white model in 16GB capacity for $99.99, the same price at the 5C:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/device/smartphone/iphone-5-16gb-white

Generally speaking, I recommend getting the best phone you can buy.  With most carriers charging $80 to $100 a month for your monthly service, you should view your phone purchase as an investment over the next 2 years that you are going to own it.  While you may be happy with a phone initially, you will most likely install apps and operating system updates over the next 2 years which inevitably slow down your phone's performance, in which case you probably won't be very happy with your phone by the time you're 20 months into your contract.  For that reason, I would strongly recommend the iPhone 5S to anybody if iOS is your preferred operating system, even if you may not be a heavy user.  The $199 price tag may seem like a lot initially, but for a phone you're going to be spending around $2,000 on in monthly service over the next 2 years, a $100 difference in price shouldn't be such a great deterrent.