There are rumors afoot that a cheaper and smaller iPhone may hit stores late 2013. Apparently this has been part of the plan at Apple for years and the plan has been coming along very well. Now there is every possibility that a less expensive version of this incredibly popular device will be launched sometime this year.
Apple will release an iPhone with a larger 5” screen but that will cost less than the one right now. This is apparently in keeping with the trend of using a five inch screen for high end phones that we see these days. All the other, lower end iPhones will sport a new design.
The new model will now look different from the standard iPhone but it will sport an inexpensive body, whatever that means. One explanation could be that Apple could consider lowering costs by creating the device out of polycarbonate plastic. There’s also a theory that its parts could be created from recycled parts of older iPhone models. But it might not be wise to compromise on quality.
Perhaps the need to make a smaller phone stems from the company’s success in China where the iPad Mini has gained much ground with the locals. It is priced lower than the iPad and could explain Apple’s interest in pricing and sizing the new iPhone. Especially if it is looking at targeting emerging marketing where different factors are in play, smaller phones might be the way to go.
If you recall, this was a story first reported two years ago, where there were talks of an iPhone ‘Nano’. One wonders about a need for a less expensive or smaller iPhone seeing how the iPhone4 and 4S are just that-smaller and relatively less expensive. But we hear that Apple hopes to sell its new phone at somewhere between $ 99 and $ 149 and that it will sport the Qualcomm Snapdragon.
The price quoted in the previous paragraph is significantly lower than what’s on offer right now. The cheapest option is Apple’s iPhone4 that comes at $450 unlocked and minus a contract. Apple lowers prices each time it introduces a new phone and customers and company benefit from the move.
If analysts are to be believed, Apple stands to gain a great deal from the release of its new low cost phone. In fact the company could make an estimated $6.5 billion. Very cool indeed. An interesting thing to consider is how the sales of the iPad have completely overtaken the sales of the iMac. Apart from that, Apple is not just a phone creating company, considering how it has moved into the iPad mini and the iPod mini. Could we be looking at a move from the iPhone to the iPad soon?
The move to create a smaller and cheaper phone comes after Apple’s supremacy in the smartphone market has fallen. But don’t assume that a cheaper phone will be very cheap! It is Apple after all and there’s a price for beauty and superior quality.
No matter what, this is an exciting new opportunity for both the company and the consumer. The company has a chance to explore new territories and the consumer has a chance to experience a much loved device.
Article by Vishal
Meet Vishal Gaikar, the tech wizard hailing from Pune, India, who's on a mission to decode the digital universe one blog post at a time. When he's not tinkering with gadgets or diving deep into the digital realm, you can find him concocting the perfect cup of chai or plotting his next adventure. Follow his tech escapades on Twitter and buckle up for a wild ride through the world of innovation and geekery!
