$330 polycarbonate iPhone to arrive in 2014 with 4.5-inch display

A new iPhone design with a polycarbonate body similar to Apple's legacy entry-level MacBook may be released at a targeted price of $330, while plans for a next-gen handset with 4.5-inch display have been pushed back to 2014, according to a new report.

It's been a while since we've heard any talk regarding the rumored budget iPhone. Speculation involving Apple's secret iWatch project, and next-gen iPad models have all but taken over the rumor mill in recent weeks. But that changes today, with a new report from Japanese blog Macotakara. The site, which has proven to have accurate sources, says that the cheaper iPhone exists, has a polycarbonate body, and will arrive in 2014… Several rumors over the past months say that Apple will introduce a cheap iPhone model. A new report from Japanese site Macotakara (good track record) says that Apple is soon unveiling a $330 polycarbonate iPhone. Apple would use the same material it used on the Macbook. The plastic phone would come soon. It is possible the new plastic iPhone will have a retro cool design. Think original iPod but thin. At a price of $330 Apple still needs to deliver performance that is at least iPhone 4S. I am still not quite clear what the purpose of the cheap iPhone is as the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S are sold as lower cost iPhones. There needs to be an additional appeal. One could be color choices. Apple is working on a cheaper, lower end iPhone:

Apple is working on a lower-end iPhone, according to people briefed on the matter, a big shift in strategy as its supremacy in smartphones has slipped. While Apple has explored such a device for years, the plan has been progressing and a less expensive version of the flagship device could launch as soon as later this year, one of the people said.

The report also says that the iPhone 5S is not coming in 2013. It with a slightly larger screen (4.5-inches) is supposed to come in 2014 for some reason. The lower-cost iPhone is also said to include a 4.5-inch display, larger than the 4-inch display that debuted last September with the iPhone 5. Apple has been rumored to be developing both larger and cheaper iPhone models, although most observers have expected the lower-cost iPhone to adopt a screen size in line with either the iPhone 4S or perhaps the iPhone 5 in order to help Apple save on costs. Digitimes last month was the first source to claim that the lower-cost iPhone would carry a larger screen with a launch later this year, but it later backtracked from those claims in noting that a larger iPhone would not launch this year. Digits claims they know the following about the next cheaper iPhone, which looks to be the same information the primary WSJ article reported:

• The new model could resemble the regular iPhone, but come with a less-expensive body.
• Apple could employ a shell made of polycarbonate plastic, with many of the other parts remaining the same or being recycled from older iPhone models. Apple has some experience working with plastic cases.
• It could launch as early as late 2013. The company hasn't sold multiple new models with different storage capacities since launching in 2007.

I bet that this is still up in the air. Apple sure will react to whatever Samsung is introducing with the Galaxy S4 on March 14. If this phone is a super seller Apple will release a new premium iPhone this year.
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