What the iPhone 5C actually is.

Photo © Apple.

People, the "C" in "iPhone 5C" stands for "colorful", and not "cheap" or "China" as the Internets are speculating. Apple's website says so, right there in the tagline, so let's end this debate.

A more interesting question is, what is an iPhone 5C under the skin? Simply put, it is an iPhone 5 with a plastic back and a slightly upgraded camera. If you want to get technical, the guts have been reworked, but the components are mostly the same.

But why not just sell the old phone, like they did before? Two reasons. The obvious one is that a redesigned phone will sell better than last year's model. The other potential reason is that Apple is reducing the manufacturing costs by replacing an expensive dye-cut aluminum case with molded plastic. Moreover, the more expensive iPhone 5S uses the same case as the iPhone 5, albeit with three different finishes, so it's quite possible that Apple kept the tooling and the production capacity for the expensive aluminum case exactly the same.

It's nice to see a rounded plastic back making a comeback, though. I've been missing the ergonomic feel of my iPhone 3G for quite some time now. Apple's silicone covers for the iPhone 5C, however, are hideous.