RIP iPhone 5C: Apple may discontinue the colorful phone in 2015

By Malarie Gokey November 26, 2014

Apple iPhone 5C — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Apple’s iPhone 5C was the company’s first foray into the world of colorful, plastic phones. Since its release, another iPhone launch has come and gone without mention of Apple’s little experiment. While many thought Apple might continue the 5C line, it seems that is unlikely. A new report from Taiwan’s Industrial and Commercial Times says the iPhone 5C will be discontinued in 2015.

It’s the second report that’s surfaced in the past week to mention the end of Apple’s iPhone 5C. Noted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently stated that Apple will stop making the iPhone 5C in 2015 once promotions on the handset end. The iPhone 4S will also go to the chopping block around the same time. Once these two older handsets are retired, every iPhone sold will come equipped with a Touch ID sensor for security.

Apple regularly streamlines its iPhone and iPad lineups by cutting out the weakest links shortly after new versions of each device are launched. Ending production of the iPhone 4S and 5C will also free up Apple’s production lines for manufacturing the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, as well as other new products.

Currently, you can only buy an 8GB version of the iPhone 5C from Apple’s website for $450 unlocked or $0 on a two-year contract. Those who want more storage have to look to eBay and other sites. Based on the report, it sounds as though Apple may offer even better deals on the 5C in the future to clear out stock, so keep an eye out.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…

Mobile

This one Apple Fitness feature completely changed how I exercise

Someone holding an iPhone with the Apple Fitness app open, showing the Custom Plans feature.

I have a confession to make: I'm not good at sticking to a workout routine. I love running, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), strength training, etc. In the moment of those exercises and in the post-workout euphoria, I feel amazing. But when it comes to waking up early in the morning to do these things before work? Well, that's where I really struggle.

This has been a problem for a while now. I go to bed with the goal of waking up early and going to the gym, but as I groggily open my eyes to snooze the alarm on my iPhone 15 Pro Max, I end up falling back asleep. And I've been repeating this over and over and over again.

Mobile

Best refurbished iPhone deals: Get an iPhone 14 for $513

An iPhone 13 in white color option.

The Apple iPhone is one of the best phones on the market, and because of it they don’t often come cheap. There are some great iPhone deals out there, but it’s rare to find significant discounts on newer models without having to commit to a longterm contract with a carrier, and it’s even less frequent you come across one of the best iPhones with a major price drop. This is where shopping refurbished can come in handy. Refurbished iPhones — for the most part — will come backed with a functionality guarantee or extended return window, making refurbished iPhones as safe of a purchase as shopping new. There are a lot of refurbished iPhone models seeing great price drops right now, which is why we’ve done the heavy lifting of rounding up all of the best refurbished iPhone deals. You’ll find them below, as well as some information on which refurbished iPhone might be best for you.
iPhone XR -- from $136

A refurbished model but one that's unlocked and comes with a full one-year warranty, the Apple iPhone XR is still pretty stylish for its age. It has a large 6.1-inch LCD screen with 1,792 x 828 resolution with Liquid Retina technology ensuring it looks super sharp. Powered by the A12 Bionic chip, it's starting to show its age but still has potential. There's also a 12MP back camera that can shoot 4K videos while the front-facing camera is 7MP and ideal for selfie-taking.

Mobile

Nomad’s new iPhone case and Apple Watch band may be its coolest yet

Nomad Glow 2.0 Sport Case and Apple Watch Sport Band in daylight.

Though the world of Apple accessories is a dime a dozen, one of the better brands that you can buy is Nomad. Nomad has a variety of amazing leather Apple Watch bands and cases, as well as non-leather options, too. In August 2023, Nomad released a one-of-a-kind Glow in the Dark Apple Watch band that sold out in about 12 hours.

Since that Glow in the Dark band was a limited edition, no one was sure if Nomad was going to re-release it, and this explains the high resale prices you’ll find on eBay. But Nomad just released the Glow 2.0 Apple Watch Sport Band as well as a new Glow 2.0 Sport Case for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. And, yes, they're just as wonderful as before.
The new and improved Glow 2.0