Apple may introduce cheaper iPhone 5C with 8GB storage today

Apple’s ’low cost’ iPhone 5c may finally see a price reduction that may put it at ‘affordable’ even if not quite ’low cost’ per se. But it won’t be without its trade-offs.

A leaked email published on the website of German telecom operator O2 and translated by Engadget, reveals that “Cupertino is looking to boost its middle child by launching an 8GB version that’ll retail for 60 euros less than the current 16GB model”. Engadget also received a tip-off with a picture of the new iPhone 5C box that showed the device with 8GB internal storage.

The announcement is reportedly due to be made later today.

Although Apple has not revealed just how well (or badly) the iPhone 5C has been doing, it has been widely speculated that the device has not been performing as well as expected. The surprisingly high price tag for the device along with the fact that it was launched together with the 5S which had frankly far superior specs, meant that most people went for the latter instead. Many tech experts and customers were of the view that a mere $100 savings for a phone with less than stellar tech specs and a far inferior body was simply not good enough.

In fact, this report on GSM Arena revealed that Apple’s stockpile of the iPhone 5c had reached over 3 million units, confirming that it isn’t exactly a hot seller. The site goes on to speculate whether Apple is manufacturing new 8GB iPhone 5c units, which will most probably increase that stockpile, or whether it is just disabling half of the memory on the already assembled and ready to ship ones.

It is not yet known whether the reduced storage and lower cost iPhone 5C models will make their way to India, where there are already schemes available to sell the device to consumers at attractive rates. Reliance, for instance, offers the device to customers for an EMI of Rs 2,599 on a two-year contract with free local and STD calls, text messages, and 3G data roaming.

A 60 euro price reduction would amount to a price cut of a little over Rs 5,000 in India. But would it be worth it? According to GSM Arena, “a €530+ price tag for an 8GB iPhone 5c with year and a half old hardware doesn’t sound like a great bargain.”

Apple also recently reintroduced the iPhone 4 in the Indian market for Rs 23,000 to boost flagging sales, a move that  we were not too enthused by. Compared to that, a lower cost iPhone 5C may be a better buy, but remember, it will only come with half the storage capacity for an insignificantly lower price.

And that may not be the only news out of the Apple stable; according to 9to5Mac, shipments of Apple’s fourth-generation iPad with Retina display have been arriving at Apple Stores with notices to not open until tomorrow.