It's practically impossible to go a week without hearing about at least one iPhone rumor, but at this point they all seem to be lining up in the same general direction: Apple will reveal a cheaper handset to compete with Samsung in emerging markets and for budget-conscious consumers. So many reports have suggested this that it's actually getting kind of boring to read about, so how about a change of pace?
So here's a juicy rumor: Apple is going to release three phones in 2013. Not one like it traditionally does. And not two like analysts are saying it needs to grow its market share. Three.
According to a BrightWire translation of a China Times article, Apple is preparing to unveil a 4-inch iPhone 5S, as well as a 4.8-inch "iPhone Math" by the end of June. A third, mystery phone will be launched in December, just in time for the holidays.
Honestly, there isn't much to report about any of these phones at this point. Both the 5S and the Math are expected to sport an 8-megapixel camera, while the mystery phone is supposedly going to boast a 12-megapixel one. Considering that the third phone would've likely been expected to be the fabled "cheaper" iPhone, it's surprising to hear that Apple is adding a higher-quality camera to it. Then again, these are just rumors, so take everything you're reading with a pinch of salt.
The big news suggested here is that the Cupertino-based company is taking a large step away from its traditional strategy of releasing just one phone a year. Three phones of varying sizes and prices would give Apple a much better chance to expand worldwide and reach consumers who have been priced out of the iPhone market.
Even a 4.8-inch phone is a bit of a course change for the company. Before the announcement of the iPhone 5, Apple adamantly denied it would release a phone with a larger screen only to relent and release one anyway. A nearly 5-inch phone is treading on "phablet" territory, meaning perhaps Samsung's success with the Galaxy Note has convinced Apple that people really do like the phone/tablet hybrid.
Aside from iPhone rumor-mongering, the China Times also said that Apple will launch iTV by the end of the year.
