According to analyst Katy Huberty, the smartphone is set to begin production in late August. The Morgan Stanley specialist wrote in a presentation for her clients on Sunday, allegedly for the manufacturing companies dealing with the assembly.
While there has been word of a September release for a long time now, Huberty’s assured prediction helps set that date in stone. Sure, it would help to have a confirmation from Apple itself, but when a rumor lasts for so long and gains more and more specialized support, it is hard to dismiss it. Moreover, with the release of the iOS 5 scheduled in fall as well, it would be logical to assume that Apple plans to release these two projects at roughly the same time.
However, another rumor is starting to take flight, supported by both Huberty as well as a Deutsche Bank analyst, Chris Whitmore. The word is that besides a newly developed high-end product, Apple is preparing to launch a mid-range iPhone 4S, set to penetrate the $300-500 category. Withmore adds that with Nokia and Research in Motion having financial trouble, a cheap, pre-paid, completely unlocked iPhone would help clear the competition in the middle sector.
Huberty helps build this rumor by stating that Apple will have a rise in sales for 2012, based on “new products and potentially lower price points.” Add two and two together and we might be looking at a parallel release of an iPhone 5, sporting the latest technology and unique design, with a medium-range iPhone 4S, coming in at around $350 and securing its market shares in this region.
Unfortunately, many predicted this tactic in the past as well, with no actual materialization, so until Apple confirms these facts, all we can do is wait two more months. Still, two analysts releasing very similar reports make one wonder if it will actually happen this time.
We recently reported that Apple could release a lite version of the iPhone, being backed up by a reputed analyst firm research. Now, Deutsche Bank’s expert comes to strengthen this gossip even more. Is Apple ready to lower their price tag and release a low-entry iPhone? Are they going to do this being pressured by the Android army that knocks on their door or the Steve Jobs is just trying to conquer more and more markets? A cheaper iPhone 5 version could be oriented for almost 1.5 billion customers in almost 100 countries.
There’s an interesting idea that suggests the actual 3GS version could actually be the cheap iPhone. But, if Apple will not grant iOS 5 support for it, will it be fair to treat a new market like that? That’s why, yet again, we have to guess and wait.
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