I don't recall Apple ever suggesting, much less stating, that they intended to release a "cheap" iPhone. I'm pretty sure the idea of a cheap iPhone was due to all the speculation from tech sites that obviously didn't have a clue. Apple NEVER offers anything "cheap" to consumers. Now the media and social media are all enraged as if Apple broke a promise. WTF! I personally think the 5C was a bad move on Apple's part, but it was NEVER meant to be a cheap iPhone. Had they chosen to keep the iPhone 5 rather than introduce the 5C, the 5 would have dropped to the 5C's price.

In the USA market the 5C makes sense in that it costs half as much as the 5S when bought from a subsidized phone service provider. Or does it? The 5C will cost $99 and the 5S $199. But that is an illusion only. Those who buy that way will pay the whole price as though they bought it unlocked. It will take them two years, but the service provider will get the whole amount from their customers a little bit a month. Outside the USA I understand there are few subsidies, so then the 5C at only $100 less than the 5S will not seem like such a good deal. But like Jessica said, if you can afford an iPhone buy it, if not too bad. But here is the thing, I see a lot of iPhones in the hands of a lot of lesser income people, so they are somehow managing to buy them whether the analysts think they can afford them or not. iPhones sale, period.