Apple launching iPhone 5S in September; low-cost iPhone a possibility?
The first will be successor to the iPhone 5, assumed to be called the 'iPhone 5S', while the second will be the low-cost version.
Apple seems to be all set to launch two iPhone versions later this year. Chinese tech blog, EMSOne claims this on the basis of speculation by Barclays Capital’s analysts, who think Apple will launch a less expensive version of the iPhone, alongside the ‘iPhone 5S’.
The report goes on to specify that both Foxconn and Pegatron will be producing the low-cost iPhone. It is believed that Apple has bumped up the screen size of the low-cost iPhone to 4.5-inches, and given it a polycarbonate body, instead of the aluminum on the more expensive iPhone, to keep costs down. There still seem to be two schools of thought – one saying that the iPhone “Nano” or the iPhone “Mini” will launch with the next iPhone update, and the other saying it’ll arrive only in 2014.
The main highlight is that Apple’s ‘iPhone 5S’ will apparently carry forward a design similar to the current iPhone 5, with only slight design modifications, but possible colour options.
If these reports are true, the ‘iPhone 5S’ will be launched a full year after the launch of the iPhone 5, in September.
The ‘iPhone 5S’ is rumoured to include a Super HD screen display. The China Times recently reported that Taiwanese supplier Innolux is developing a ‘Touch on Display’ – 10-point multi-touch with a 0.5mm thickness. It is being rumoured that the iPhone 5S will carry forward the same casing as the iPhone 5, in line with the past examples of the 3G and 3GS and the iPhone 4 and the 4S. The low-cost iPhone is expected to get a bigger display though, assumed at 4.8-inch. It was only earlier this year, during the earning call, that Tim Cook said that iPhone 5 users were happy with the screen size.
Japanese blog, Macotakara, meanwhile reports that the low-cost iPhone will have the same design as the iPhone 5, but with a polycarbonate body and will be available in multiple colours.
The camera could be the biggest improvement on the next iPhone. The megapixel game is being shaken up to life again, with the 13MP clicker on the Xperia Z and the 4MP UltraPixel camera on the HTC One. It is expected, following all the rumours and reports, that the next iPhone will have a 13MP camera.
There really isn’t much to go on in terms of the processor the next iPhone might have, but it could be the A6X from the fourth-generation iPad or the new A7 processor. RAM could be boosted as well, if new visual elements are added to the iOS 7 UI.
Source: EMSOne, China Times, Macotakara