Apple is expected to launch a low-cost iPhone and iPhone 5S in September. New images of the smartphone have appeared comparing it to the iPhone 5, along with some new information.
Apple has been rumored to be releasing a more affordable iPhone to take on mid-range Android smartphone for a few years. It appears that the company will finally launch the device in September. We've seen Apple make this same play in the past with previous devices. The company likes to cement its place with a high-end offering as its competitor's scramble to release similar devices in all different price points in hopes of taking market share from Apple. We first saw this with the iPod. The company was not the first to release an Mp3 player, but it quickly became the market leader with its high-end music player. Its rivals soon released devices to address every price point and Apple finally launched the iPod mini to focus on the mid-range offerings. It was a huge success, the company soon followed up with an even more affordable iPod nano, and it completely owned the digital music player market.
Apple once again used this same tactic with the iPad. It focused on the high-end tablet market with its 9.7-inch model, while its biggest competitor, Samsung decided to go in a different direction by releasing a 7-inch model to try and dominate the mid-range market. Apple again waited a few years and then released the iPad mini, and once again dominated the high-end and mid-range tablet market. The low-cost iPhone seeks to do what the iPod nano and iPad mini did; make Apple the market leader in an area it just entered.
New images and details have leaked on a Chinese forum of the low-cost iPhone. The images show the device compared to an iPhone 5. You'll have to signup for the forum in order to see all of the pictures, but TechKiddy has posted a gallery of all of the images for your viewing pleasure. Both iPhones are similar in size, but it becomes immediately clear why the plastic low-cost iPhone will be cheaper. The images show a thicker all plastic case compared to the iPhone 5's thinner aluminum case. Another image shows the bottom of both smartphones, showing the iPhone 5's speakers are located on both sides of its Lightening Connector with its speaker grill offering more holes compared to the low-cost iPhone's four hole grill on one side.
The images look legit, but It's always best to take these rumors with a grain of salt, especially knowing how secretive Apple is.
