Remember the iPhone 5c? If you need a refresher, the iPhone 5c released in 2013 as a little brother to the iPhone 5s. It packed many of the same features as the iPhone 5s, but was cheaper and came in a range of bold and bright colors. The iPhone 5c was discontinued all the way back in 2016, but not before capturing the hearts and minds of many of its users, and serving as a blueprint for the budget iPhones of today.

Here are all the reasons why the iPhone 5c was a big deal.

1. It Was the First Cheap iPhone

Cracked iPhone 5c
Image Credit: Disk Depot/Wikimedia

If you walk into any Apple Store today, you’ll be greeted with a huge number of iPhones to choose from. But back in 2013, your options were a lot more limited. Before the iPhone 5c launched, there was no lower-cost iPhone. If you were in the market for a new phone, but didn’t have iPhone money, choosing Android was one of your only options.

Enter the iPhone 5c: a phone with all the power and performance of the iPhone 5 that was released just a year earlier, but at a cheaper price. Instead of being forced to buy an older iPhone or Android device, the iPhone 5c let consumers get a brand-new iPhone for only $550. That was a $100 discount over the $650 iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 5c’s lower cost made iPhones more accessible to budget-conscious consumers. And there are more than a few people who picked up an iPhone 5c who are still loyal Apple customers to this day.

2. It Didn’t Skimp on Features

iPhone 5c with box
Image Credit: Maurizio Pesce/Wikimedia

The iPhone 5c didn’t have all the features of the iPhone 5s that it released alongside, but the 5c had features where it counted.

When compared against the 5c, the iPhone 5s boasted a faster, 64-bit processor, was built out of more premium materials, and had a fingerprint sensor. But the 5c managed to pack a bunch of features, too. The iPhone 5c featured the same high-quality screen as the 5s, and largely had the same camera module, minus the slow-motion video mode.

Even better, it was designed with iOS 7 in mind. iOS 7 was a huge leap forward from previous versions of iOS. Not only did it usher in the modern flat design aesthetic that we still see in iOS today, but it was the first time that iPhone users had access to features like true multitasking.

Perhaps most importantly, the iPhone 5c was fully 4G LTE enabled, giving it access to fast and reliable mobile data. Although these days 5G has now fully rolled out in most countries, in 2013, even 4G was still relatively new. Being able to access the highest-data speed available was a killer feature for the budget iPhone.

3. It Was Made of Plastic

iPhone 5c next to other iPhones
Image Credit: Janitors/Wikimedia

One of the most noticeable differences between the iPhone 5c and the iPhone 5s was the materials. While many praised the iPhone 5s’s beautiful anodized aluminum and glass design, the iPhone 5c was made of…plastic.

Although the iPhone 5c did have a glass screen and glass front bezels, the display was housed in a lightweight, low-cost polycarbonate body. Choosing plastic over glass and aluminum made the iPhone 5c cheaper to produce, and also made it more durable. This combination of cost-effective materials made it a great option for the younger, more budget-conscious audience the 5c was designed for.

4. It Was the First Colorful iPhone

iPhone 5c with green case
Image Credit: Muarizio Pesce/Wikimedia

When the iPhone 5c was announced, there was quite a bit of speculation of what the “c” actually stood for. There were debates over whether it stood for cheap, choice, China, or something else. Well, Apple’s official designation for the “c” in iPhone 5c was color, and it shows.

If you wanted to buy an iPhone before the 5c, you had two colors to choose from, black or white. But the iPhone 5c was all about color. It came in five different colors, including blue, pink, and even lime green. The iPhone 5c was so all-about-color that Apple decided not to even offer a black model.

The iPhone 5c’s colors were bold, and it was designed to be shown-off. Apple even designed a range of iPhone 5c cases with holes cut out so the device’s color could shine through. It would be years before we saw a truly colorful iPhone again.

Fast-forward to today, and it seems like the iPhone is still all about color. There are six iPhone 13 colors, and five iPhone 13 Pro colors. If you’re someone who wants their iPhone’s color to always make a statement, you can thank the iPhone 5c for starting that trend.

5. It Paved the Way for Budget iPhones Today

iPhone 5c on yellow background
Image Credit: Maurizio Pesce/Wikimedia

These days, we’re used to having choice when it comes to iPhones. There are top end models like the Pro and Pro Max series, a more accessible regular iPhone, and budget options like the iPhone SE. But this concept of a budget iPhone started with the iPhone 5c.

The iPhone 5c was designed to be a lower-cost alternative that still packed all the most important features of an Apple flagship. This idea of a maximum bang-for-your-buck iPhone helped birth devices like the standard iPhone. And, arguably, the standard iPhone 13 is better than the Pro. The iPhone 5c was a big experiment in consumer choice, and it more than paid off for Apple.

The iPhone 5c Rocked

At a time when many people still considered iPhones to be a luxury item, the iPhone 5c was designed to be an iPhone for everyone. The iPhone 5c was more than just a phone, it was a game changer. It was a phone that gave users more choice, and it made the current iPhone lineup possible. Whether you had an iPhone 5c or not, there’s no denying the impact of the first cheap iPhone.