iPhone 5c: Just the basics

Alongside the iPhone 5s, Apple also announced its first “budget” iPhone, the iPhone 5c. Here’s the quick guide to what you need to know.
See also: Apple iPhone September 10 Event Liveblog: Right Here!
iPhone 5s: Just the basics
It’s not really Apple’s first “budget” handset, given the company used to offer the previous year’s iPhone in low storage capacities at a budget price, but it is the first device they’ve developed with budget sensibilities in mind… although not entirely with the Australian market in mind.
So what do you get in a budget iPhone? A 4″ Screen with an A6 and either 16GB or 32GB of storage; more or less an iPhone 5 in a smooth polycarbonate case.
As widely tipped, it’s available in multiple “fun” colours (no, Apple didn’t invent coloured smartphones), and it’s essentially making the iPhone 5 redundant overnight, given Apple won’t offer the 5 as its budget handset.
Apple’s announced US price for the 16GB iPhone 5c is $99/$199. Bear in mind that with most US phone contracts, there’s an outright payment, plus a contract; in Australia the norm is either a full outright purchase price, or a handset repayment built into a contract.
That’s where the 5c is a little interesting. The outright price for the iPhone 5c in Australia will be $739 for the 16GB version and $869 for the 32GB version, which isn’t massively cheaper than the far more capable iPhone 5s. It’ll be fascinating to see how well the 5c does locally given that kind of pricing gap. Pre-orders for the iPhone 5c start on the 13th of September, with sales starting on the 20th of September.