Apple is almost ready to reveal a cheaper iPhone, and it's going to be made mostly out of plastic.
Of course, that's what rumors have been saying for months now, so take the previous statement as you will. But all these rumors pointing in the same direction can't be false... right?
According to iLounge, Apple's long-awaited budget-friendly handset will be a mix between the iPhone 5, the fifth-generation iPod Touch, and the iPod Classic. No, that last part isn't a typo. Yes, it sounds like a pretty crazy combination. Chances are, however, that for most people the new device will just look like an iPhone.
Citing "reliable sources," iLounge says that the new phone "won't just be a Retina- and Lightning-equipped refresh of the iPhone 3G or 3GS." The front of the phone will sport the same 4-inch screen and 1136x640 Retina display seen on the iPhone 5, as well as the same shape, sensor, camera, and button layout. No surprises there; even the screen will still be made from Gorilla Glass.
Flip the phone on its side, though, and you'll see some small but noticeable differences. The volume buttons will be changed from the circular ones seen currently to the longer pill-shaped designs of the iPod Touch.
Curved surfaces are also minimal, as the budget iPhone's curves will start and end at flat surfaces, meaning it won't be rocking much when it's vibrating on the table. The back will sport camera, microphone, and rear flash, while the rest of the phone will feature a headphone jack, speaker, and Lightning port.
Once again, whether or not any of this is actually true is up for debate, but the consensus does seem to be that a cheaper iPhone is on its way.
Most of the changes described, if true, aren't really noteworthy. If Apple's goal is to basically remake the iPhone in a budget-friendly way (and it seems like that's the goal), then going with a plastic body but keeping everything else virtually unchanged is a pretty good way to do it. People already want the iPhone, so it's not like generating interest is the problem. Simply dropping the price while offering the same services will go a long way.
