Rumours of a low-cost iPhone being added to tech giant Apple's portfolio of popular smartphones linger, with an image of what is believed to be a leaked photograph of the new budget device's packaging case now circulating the Web.
The image was posted on Chinese iPhone site WeiPhone.com yesterday and follows online images of what was believed to be the plastic back panel of Apple's sub-$400 iPhone, which emerged at the beginning of June, via Chinese micro-blogging site Sina Weibo.
While the latest image offers no indication as to the handset's specifications, it has served to keep the rumours, around for some time now, going.
The cases in the latest image are marked with Apple's iconic iPhone stamp and indicate the new handset could be called the iPhone 5C.
Mixed motions
From Apple's side, there has been no confirmation that the company intends launching a low-cost iPhone, which is rumoured to make its appearance around the same time the new iPhone (iPhone 5S) is expected to launch, in September or early October.
Fuseware CEO Mike Wronski previously said the introduction of a low-cost iPhone was "inevitable" - considering Apple is looking to diversify its customer base and take revenue from the lower end of the market too.
"A sub-$400 iPhone is a must, but to really compete in emerging markets, Apple needs to slash its profit margins and find hardware suppliers that can offer similar phone features for a much lower cost."
Wronski added that one could expect the same app market and similar hardware and software design in a budget iPhone - with trade-offs rather being made on processing power, storage space and camera quality.
Mike Sharman, owner of digital communications agency Retroviral, says he thinks a cheaper iPhone is a great play for emerging markets. "iPhone remains aspirational and may be able to garner some of the market share that Samsung is so hungry for."
Tech analyst Liron Segev, however, expresses reservation around the possibility of Apple bringing a low-cost handset into the market.
While commenting on rumours is dangerous in light of the fact that they may or may not materialise, Segev notes the buzz has been around "for a long time now - dating back to the tablet days, to compete with videos and live phones that never materialised".
He says Apple's model has always been that of an exclusive brand. "So [Apple] doesn't bring out cheap phones, but rather [the company] brings out new models that make the current model cheaper.
"Will they change that approach to try capture new markets at the risk of losing their brand appeal? Tough one to answer."
Share