Apple’s rumoured low-cost iPhone is a reality according to parts supplier ETrade Supply.
ETrade Supply points out in its report that it has proven reliable for providing advance information in the past regarding the iPhone 5 and BlackBerry Z10.
The supplier claims it has been reliably informed ‘on the wind’ that a cheaper iPhone will be hitting the market and specifically said ‘models’ suggesting more than one budget device might arrive. It’s perhaps to be expected that no specific dates for a launch were given.
ETrade Supply explained that Apple is putting a low-cost phone on the market to help its market share as it’s currently losing ground to Android. It’s also allegedly a method of buying time for the company while it develops major new innovations.
Current rumours surrounding the cheaper iPhone suggest it’ll have a plastic bodyshell, possibly with a smoother design to assist with low-cost manufacturing methods. It’s also expected to use an older Apple processor, possibly an Apple A4 or A5 chip.
Conflicting rumours variously suggest the display might be smaller, but others claim it will be similarly sized to the iPhone 5. Meanwhile there are suggestions Apple may not use a Retina display to cut costs, just as it did on the iPad Mini, but some say this is a compromise Apple wouldn’t be willing to make on a smaller-screened device.
Apple’s recent financial results suggest that for Q2 2013 it made the majority of its smartphone sales with older and more affordable models such as the iPhone 4, implying that the market is ripe for a purpose-built budget device.
Previously Apple was expected to launch its next device in June or July, but reports of delays were confirmed when company chief executive Tim Cook said the next launch would take place in the Autumn.
It’s still not clear whether we’ll see the next premium iPhone with the iPhone 5S or iPhone 6, the iPad 5, the iPad Mini 2 or the cheap iPhone. Or indeed a combination of several or all of the above.
The end of the year is certainly going to be an interesting time to watch for Apple fans.
by pbriden via Featured Articles
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