4 reasons Apple should make a new plastic iPhone like the iPhone 5c

Famously or infamously, Apple prefers to target a “premium” market with most of its products, particularly the

iPhone
. The company doesn’t often elaborate on what that means — but in practice, it seems to involve targeting middle- and upper-class buyers with high-quality specs and materials. No one needs an A18 processor to check their email, browse Instagram, or play

Balatro
. Likewise, no one needs titanium or airplane-grade aluminum, given that some of the most durable phones ever built — like the original Nokia 3310 — were primarily made out of plastic.

There’s only been one plastic iPhone so far, 2013’s iPhone 5c. It was Apple’s first attempt at a “budget” phone, and the company quickly changed strategies, instead choosing to put out products like the iPhone SE and the

iPhone 16e
. But I feel like there’s still a lot of potential for plastic, and here’s why.

1

iPhone prices are spiraling out of reach

And they’re probably about to soar higher

It’s no secret that buying a new iPhone can be prohibitively expensive. Even the iPhone 16e starts at $599, and that’s before accessories like a case, a charger, or earbuds. If you pick up an iPhone 16 Pro, you’re spending upwards of $1,000, potentially as much as you would on a MacBook Pro if you get a fully-equipped 16 Pro Max. Meanwhile, the company has officially dropped the iPhone SE, which had a more reasonable $429 pricetag.

I’m surprised at the number of people at the gym I see with Pro iPhones — but nevertheless, Apple may be pushing more and more people towards older or refurbished models, which generate less money and close off access to the latest features. The situation could get worse this fall, with the distinct possibility of price hikes for the

iPhone 17
lineup if the Trump administration doesn’t back down on global tariffs. Indeed, there could be hikes anyway, since Apple prefers high profit margins and has kept prices static for years.

A plastic iPhone would be cheaper to produce and sell while keeping buyers up-to-date on specs. I wouldn’t expect Apple to use plastic on Pro units, or even vanilla ones, but the material could make a 17e or 18e more financially tempting than finding a used iPhone 15 Pro on sites like eBay or Facebook.

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2

People want better color options

Midnight isn’t a color, Apple

Apple / Pocket-lint

There’s a shiny appeal to aluminum and titanium, but it’s also inherently tougher to churn out metal frames in vibrant colors. We have seen exceptions — I really liked my yellow iPhone XR, for example, and the rare instances of Product RED iPhones — but for a long time now, Apple’s palette has consisted mostly of pastels and offset shades of black, white, and gold. The aesthetic is sensible and professional, but not very exciting. Even lawyers and accountants should be allowed to display a little flair every now and then.

Plastic shells would make it easier to churn out exciting looks. Apple should probably skip the neon green option it offered for the iPhone 5c, but I think a lot of people would instantly gravitate towards phones in deep blue or red, or maybe forest green. I’d certainly buy a burnt orange iPhone — as would a lot of Longhorns fans in Texas, or people who like autumnal tones.

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Physics to the rescue

Apple / Pocket-lint

Metal does provide more structural rigidity, but that’s not always the best option for protecting expensive electronics. When a phone hits something, or vice versa, that kinetic energy has to go somewhere. Metal doesn’t distribute energy very well, so harder impacts can create dents, potentially even damaging internal components if a dent goes deep enough. Metal also has the potential of bending permanently, as some iPhone 6 Plus and iPad Pro buyers are all too aware. Glass backs can reduce some of these threats — but with the new issues of scratching and cracking.

There’s a reason many pre-iPhone devices used plastic beyond price. Plastic is flexible. If it’s thick enough, it even bounces. It can still scratch, but that’s a small tradeoff for worrying less about your phone when you drop it on tile or concrete. And even that isn’t much of a threat these days, given that most people are going to slap their iPhone in a case regardless. Those cases are often made out of plastic too, I should point out.

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4

Lighter phones are better phones

Without sacrificing features or grip, that is

While Apple is preparing several new iPhone models this year, the most important is likely to be the

iPhone 17 Air
or Slim — we’ll have to wait and see what it’s actually called. The gist, though, is that it should use a combination of new battery tech and possible feature sacrifices to achieve an incredibly thin frame, like Samsung’s

Galaxy S25 Edge
. I’m not sure who’s crying out for that, but it should be an impressive piece of engineering nevertheless, making iPhones even more portable. The Air is liable to be the template for iPhones to come, much like the iPhone X set the stage for every model we have now.

You know what’s also light, though? Plastic. Weight is a smaller reason to switch materials, given that few people complain about how heavy iPhones are, but I’d gladly take plastic if it meant a lighter product without any feature sacrifices, price hikes, or increased chances of bending. I’m not a fan of most ultra-thin devices anyway, since I need a certain amount of real estate for a secure hand grip. And my iPhone 16 Pro already fits comfortably in my pockets, thank you very much. I don’t want thinness just for the sake of being impressed.

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