“Apple Inc. plans to begin production of a new iPhone similar in size and shape to its current one in the second quarter of the year, according to people familiar with the device’s production, teeing up a possible summer launch for the next version of its flagship device,” Lorraine Luk, Jessica E. Lessin and Eva Dou report for The Wall Street Journal.
“Apple continues to work with its manufacturing partners in Asia on a less expensive iPhone that could be launched as soon as the second half of this year, these people said,” Luk, Lessin and Dou report. “The 4-inch device will likely use a different casing from the higher-end iPhone.”
Full article here.
“Tuesday’s report doesn’t offer any surprising details, but does corroborate with what earlier reports have claimed about Apple’s 2013 plans for the iPhone lineup,” AppleInsider reports. “Parts claimed to be from the ‘iPhone 5S’ were spotted last month, providing further evidence that Apple’s next handset could be nearing production.”
“As for a cheaper iPhone, speculation has grown that Apple is interested in addressing the low-end smartphone market, particularly in developing countries where customers prefer to purchase unsubsidized handsets without a service contract,” AppleInsider reports. “It’s believed that such a device would be targeted at China and Brazil, in particular.”
Read more in the full article here.
Recycled rumours again.
“Apple is interested in addressing the low-end smartphone market, particularly in developing countries where customers prefer to purchase unsubsidized handsets without a service contract,”
Unfortunately, that “developing” also includes America. Look at T-Mobiles new business model. If Apple wanted a low cost iPhone they would just sell the iPhone 4 for around $400.00. That may cannibalize some of their existing 5, 5S, 6 iPhones sales as would a cheap new iPhone that can run the latest iOS, yes?
Of course, there will always be those folks that will need to have the best and greatest every time it comes out so maybe the impact of less expensive iPhones may not be great.
an ideal rollout would be the iphone 5s (in colours please!) with ios 7 and icloud enhancements in july and a late fall event with a cheaper iphone. thus apple would have a quarter or so with the new flagship model without much cannibalisation and then going for volume in the last quarter of the year.
Oh man I’m really waiting for this, I wish this is true. I hate my SAMSUNG, but the price was too good, and does what I need.
If apple makes a low cost phone I’ll purchase it so fast…