Apple iPhone 5C Philippines Price and Release Date Guesstimate, Complete Specs : Budget iPhone Supports LTE, Comes in Vibrant Colors

At this point, I'm just inclined to believe that Apple has altogether thrown the idea of confidentiality for yet-to-be-released products out of the window as almost everything that we're seeing now about Apple iPhone 5C, which is finally official, have already been fed to consumers within the past three or so months via insider leaks.

Apple iPhone 5C Philippines, Apple iPhone 5C

Off hand, I can tell you that iPhone 5C - C for Color instead of Cheap as previously rumored - is practically just the iPhone 5 without the elegant aluminum shell. The two phones basically share the same technical specifications - from the Apple A6 processor, 4-inch Retina Display, and LTE connectivity support right down to the 1 GB of RAM and 8 MegaPixel main camera with BSI sensor. The main difference between last year's flagship release and this year's seemingly midrange offering is that the latter comes with hard-coated polycarbonate shell ala those of high-end Nokia Lumia smartphones and features a slightly larger battery pack delivering extended standby time - if a bit.

Apple iPhone 5C Philippines, Apple iPhone 5C

Apple iPhone 5C, which will go for $99 for the 16GB variant and $199 for the 32GB version - both on a 2-year contract in the United States, comes in five vibrant and youthful colors, namely, Blue, Green, White, Yellow and Pink. Users may also get colorful $30 swappable sleeves for the device to protect it from the scratches and bumps of daily use.

Apple iPhone 5C Philippines, Apple iPhone 5C sleeves

iPhone 5C's polycarbonate shell is one continuous and seamless structure that is finished with a hard coat making it both sleek and durable. To complement iPhone 5C's design, Apple created "soft, matte, microfiber-lined cases" in a very intentional contrast to the phone's glossy finish. "These sleek silicone cases with unique circular patterns," says Apple, "let splashes of color show through, and with five iPhone 5C colors and six cases to choose from, you can mix and match for dozens of fun combinations."

As of writing, Apple has yet to disclose the official pricing details of iPhone 5C in the Philippines. However, I'm expecting the device to retail for around Php 24,050 for the 16GB variant and Php 29,435 for 32GB (hopefully even less) at online gadget stores and authorized carriers sans contract, and to be offered as a free bundled device with Smart Communications and Globe Telecoms' LTE plans this coming Yuletide season. In fact, according to Apple, iPhone 5C has 13 LTE wireless bands, more than any other smartphone in the world!

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name Apple iPhone 5C
Type Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category Midrange
Dimensions124.4 x 59.2 x 8.97 mm
Weight 132 grams
Available Colors White, Blue, Green, Yellow and Pink
Operating System iOS 7
Display Retina display, 4-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display, 1136-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi, 800:1 contrast ratio (typical), 500 cd/m2 max brightness (typical), Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on front, Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously
Processor Apple A6 Processor
RAM 1 GB
Camera 8 MegaPixels, 2364x2448 resolution with autofocus and LED flash, Features: Æ’/2.4 aperture, LED flash, Backside illumination sensor, Five-element lens, Hybrid IR filter, FaceTime HD camera with 1.2MP photos, New backside illumination sensor
Video Capture 1080p Full HD, 30 frames per second, Video stabilization, Take still photo while recording video, Front: aHD video (720p) up to 30 frames per second, Facetime over Wifi or Cellular
Audio and Video Playback Video: AirPlay Mirroring to Apple TV support at 720p
AirPlay video streaming to Apple TV (3rd generation) at up to 1080p and Apple TV (2nd generation) at up to 720p
Video formats supported: H.264 video up to 1080p, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format

Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
User-configurable maximum volume limit
Ports 3.5 mm audio jack, new 9-pin Lightning dock connector
Connectivity 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz)
Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology, LTE
Network GSM model A1428*: UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 4 and 17)
CDMA model A1429*: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (800, 1900, 2100 MHz); UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 3, 5, 13, 25)
GSM model A1429*: UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz); LTE (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25)
Memory 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options, non-expandable
Sensors Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, 3-axis Gyroscope
Battery Built-in Rechargeable Li-Ion
Uptime Talk time: Up to 8 hours on 3G
Standby time: Up to 250 hours
Internet use: Up to 8 hours on 3G, up to 8 hours on LTE, up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi
Video playback: Up to 10 hours
Audio playback: Up to 40 hours
Notable Features Nano-SIM card support, ships with Apple EarPods with Remote, Mic, Storage and travel case, Lightning to USB cable
Announcement September 11, 2013 (1:30 AM Manila Time)
Availability Q4 2013, TP Guesstimate: Mid-December 2013 via Smart and Globe
Price $99 for the 16GB and $199 for the 32GB, both on a 2-year contract in the United States,
Official Retail Price in US: $549 for 16GB, $649 for 32GB
TP Retail Price Guesstimate: Around Php 24,050 for 16GB, Php 29,435 for 32GB