Loading...Apple has long been seen as one of the more expensive mobile phone manufacturers. However, this hasn’t deterred the millions of consumers who flock to buy their products, many of them as soon as they’re released. There are rumours, though, that the company is about to release a budget version of the iPhone.
Are the rumours true?
Apple is probably one of the most secretive companies in the world when it comes to leaking details about potential product launches. They tend to stay quiet on the subject until after the official launch event. However, the U.S. tech site, Techdy recently claimed to have images and videos of what the new phone will look like.
These are obviously still rumours and whilst there has been no official confirmation, technology experts are expecting the launch of the new phone in early September, with a release date later the same month. The new iPhone 5S is set to be announced at a media event on September 10th and some believe the budget version will also be publicised at this date. So, is it too early to start looking for cash for your iPhone to help finance this new model?
Some analysts are putting the potential price tag as low as £63, but others think that a better indication is around £260. This will allow it to compete with cheaper Android models and enable those with less to spend to keep up with the latest technology. It’s also expected that the budget iPhone will be promoted in emerging markets, such as China and India.
What will the new phone be like?
There is as yet no name for the budget iPhone, but some experts are labelling it the iPhone 6 and others the iPhone Mini. It will be manufactured from plastic polycarbonate in order to make it cheaper than the current aluminium models. The rumours indicate that it will be similar in shape to the original iPod, with either a 4″ screen, like the iPhone 5, or it could even be as large as 4.8″ to compete with the Samsung Galaxy S4.
As there are no confirmed details about the budget iPhone, it’s been left to technology insiders to speculate on the expected features. With the recent launch of Apple’s new operating system, iOS 7, it’s expected that any new models will launch with this already installed. Some are anticipating that it will have a 12-megapixel sensor, be waterproof, feature a 3D camera and include a fingerprint reader.
The leaked photos, which may or may not be real, indicate that the budget iPhone will have a new speaker setup, as the holes at the bottom are different to current models. There are also rumours that the new model will be available in a wider range of colours than just the standard black and white versions, including red, green and blue.
Apple is keeping tight lipped on any upcoming launches, but the tech grapevine is ripe with gossip. We’ll just have to wait and see what develops over the next couple of months.