Apple could be cooking up a dirt-cheap iPhone that would be perfectly at home in Action Man's attack helicopter, if fresh rumours are to be believed.
The rumoured budget iPhone is going to be made mostly from plastic, iLounge reports, citing "reliable sources". Take any Apple rumours with a pinch or two of salt, but the article does detail purported design details for the mythical wallet-friendly phone.
The Barbie Girl-blower is reckoned to borrow from past Apple gadgets, including a front plate that sticks out just a little from the phone's frame, à la the most recent iPod touch and iPhone 5.
The volume buttons will ditch a circular shape in favour of a squashed pill-shape style, the report claims, while a gently curved back will apparently evoke the blocky rear of the iPod classic. The headphone port is hinted to be stuck on the bottom of the phone.
Cheaper phones are usually less skinny and luxurious to grip than high-end smart phones, though the 'budget' iPhone is tipped to be just half a millimetre taller and wider than the iPhone 5, and a millimetre thicker. The iPhone 5 is eerily thin, so any mobile that can echo those slender dimensions would get a thumbs up from me.
Word of a cheap iPhone or 'iPhone mini' have been swirling recently -- the theory being that Apple wants to capture the cash of would-be customers worldwide who can't afford the £500-plus iPhone 5.
Rival Samsung has a smart phone for every budget, so Apple may be looking to steal that slice of pie from the South Korean company. A recent article that saw Apple's Phil Schiller ruling out cheap products was updated to say that Apple merely aims to provide "the best products", giving hope to those lusting for an affordable iPhone.
Would you buy a cheap plastic iPhone, or should Apple stick with its pricey metal and glass gadgets? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.
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anonymous 29 January, 2013 14:26
I hope Samsung sue lol!
Meleagru 29 January, 2013 14:28
Apple would be better of finding a small company to whom they could license iOS and have them build a cheap "iPhone" without diminishing their prestige. But seeing as how much of a control-freak the fruit company is, that won't happen. A cheap iPhone can truly cannibalize their sales like no other product, and at the same time, lower their brand value. But, at the same time, it's also a necessity because on most world-markets, there is no cheap alternative to Android off-contract. Even WP8 can't compete there.
anonymous 29 January, 2013 14:55
Any cheaper iPhone will be aimed squarely at China and the emerging markets. apple would be Crazy to ignore that opportunity.
In the "west", brand values need to be kept high, so I'm not so sure a cheap, as in cheapo, phone will cut it. They need a lower priced version of the iPhone 5 in a metal body, with a retina display.
If they can put the iPod shuffle and nano in a metal case, then surely they can put a £200 -300 phone in a metal case too?
tbag 29 January, 2013 15:13
A "dirt-cheap" iPhone... is it April already!!
Nothing Apple produce will ever be cheap, there will always be people willing to spend silly amounts of money on a flawed product. The 'cheaper' version made out of plastic might actually be an improvement and survive moving around in ones pocket!
anonymous 29 January, 2013 15:50
iLounge predictions and rumours are usually way off.
I'd be more inclined to believe them if they said that Apple were introducing a three legged Cow that produced 10 pints of chocolate milkshake every day.
anonymous 29 January, 2013 15:56
Obviously you have missed what Tim Cook said recently... He said there will never be a cheap iphone. End of story.
anonymous 29 January, 2013 15:59
I'd love to read Damien's take on this one, as our beloved sheep that loves plasticky devices :)
anonymous 29 January, 2013 16:46
@ anonymous 15:56 he never actually ruled it out and he miss quoted by multiple sites.
That will be nice. People talk about the iPhones dated interface and to a degree I agree with them where the differences lay is that the interface is undeniably simplistic. Simple enough that my 2 year old nephew can use and my Mother wouldn't find as big a leap to learn as opposed to Android.
I see the cheap (emphasis on cheap not CHEAPER Apple) iPhone selling well. Its important to Apple to capture the emerging smartphone markets in Europe and Asia.
marchaddad 30 January, 2013 07:48
Which part of Phil Schiller statement was not clear when he clearly said that apple wont produce a cheaper iPhone. i don't understand these reports and these useless rumors just to fill out webpages