New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

Apple Substituting Some 16GB iPhone 5c Models In Need of Replacement With 32GB Models

Monday February 5, 2018 1:17 pm PST by Juli Clover
For the foreseeable future, Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers will offer some customers who own a 16GB iPhone 5c that's in need of replacement a 32GB model instead.

Apple shared the new directive with Apple Authorized Service Providers this morning.


"Orders for whole unit service inventory of iPhone 5c (16GB) models may be substituted to iPhone 5c (32GB) models until further notice," reads the note that was sent out today.

Not all 16GB iPhone 5c replacements will be upgraded to 32GB devices instead, but some customers who take their iPhone 5c models in for repair for a manufacturing issue or other problem may see an upgrade to the larger capacity 32GB model.

Apple did not offer a reason why some 16GB iPhone 5c models are being replaced with 32GB models, but it's often due to available supply at any given time.

The iPhone 5c was first introduced alongside the iPhone 5s in September of 2013, and it's the only 4-inch iPhone that Apple has introduced with a colorful plastic exterior.

Apple stopped offering 16 and 32GB iPhone 5c models for sale in most countries in September of 2014, but continued selling an 8GB model until September of 2015. In India, the iPhone 5c was still available through February of 2016, but since that time, the iPhone 5c has been fully discontinued in all countries.

[ 50 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
Kabeyun
13 months ago
Sue them!! I only wanted 16GB!!! 32GB makes me feel bloated. They deceived us! Class action!! Lawyer, lawyer!! Who’s with me?!?!
Rating: 19 Votes
Avatar
WarHeadz
13 months ago

We hardly ever hear about the 5c..
I’d forgotten it even existed.

It's for the better. It should have never existed.
Rating: 12 Votes
Avatar
ghost187
13 months ago

We hardly ever hear about the 5c..
I’d forgotten it even existed.


How can you forget! It was "unapologetically" plastic. :D
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
k3ith
13 months ago

My wife and I have iPhone 5c units, and they work well for what we ask of them. My kids screwed mine up, and I had, with gritted teeth to upgrade iOS 10 in order to reset it. I would like to take it back to iOS 9 and let it be the zippy phone I had last year.

I don't need big speedy screens on a phone, and it has my beloved headphone jack that mates well with the Harmon Karden noise cancelling headphones I have. Still in my original OtterBox.

I use it as a phone, occasionally use Apple Maps to tell me where to aim my car, and it works nicely as a hotspot. That's all I want it to do. If I need more screen, I have an iPad or my MacBook Pro.


Sounds bleak
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
HiVolt
13 months ago
They should just ask the user to give them $50 and upgrade them to an SE. That would be a grand gesture.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
Andres Cantu
13 months ago
I didn’t think they had any left.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
BMcCoy
13 months ago
We hardly ever hear about the 5c..
I’d forgotten it even existed.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
mtneer
13 months ago
Why would Apple be replacing any 5c's in early 2018? Are there any models still covered by AC+? Or are these out-of-warranty replacements.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
cyberdocwi
13 months ago

You can downgrade it 8.4.1 ‍♂️


How?

I wasn't smart enough to save off the firmware, and Apple doesn't sign older versions. Do you have a link on how to do this? I would go to 8, and then try to get it to 9 from there. That is worth a shot.

And to the other fella, no my life is not bleak. Music sounds fine. I drive a non-bluetooth car. I am 25+ years out of high school. Phone is doing precisely what I want it to do: make calls, be a hotspot, and occasionally tell me where I need to drive. I don't need a $1K device (new iPhone X) to do this for me. Have other things to spend money on, like a fishing boat, or maybe a home IMAX theater.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
neoelectronaut
13 months ago

We hardly ever hear about the 5c..
I’d forgotten it even existed.


It's a damn shame, too. To this day it's easily my favorite iPhone. Just gorgeous and it felt great in the hand.
Rating: 3 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]