The Wall Street Journal has been very vague in their sources, citing "people briefed on the matter", but claims have surfaced. The Wall Street Journal reports that there is a lower-end iPhone that could possibly debut as early as late 2013. This is apparently an attempt from Apple to try and regain some of the lost market share in the smartphone sector.

Apple has looked in to this type of device for years, but has never pulled the trigger on the idea. While this concept is being discussed, it is still not said to be a for sure items, so it could still be cut like previous ideas.

The phone would be cheaper to the consumer, but look very similar to the more costly existing models. Apple could switch the current body, which is aluminum, and replace it with a less costly polycarbonate plastic body.

The IDC reports that iPhones account for 14.6 percent of the worldwide smartphone shipments in the third quarter for 2012, which is down from 23 percent in the first quarter.

Reports earlier this month have claimed that Apple is already testing the next major changes of its smartphone and iOS operating systems, the iPhone 6 and iOS 7.

Posted: Jan 10, 2013 9:47 am
Related Forum: Mobile Devices