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Apple will announce the next iPhone on 10 September, anonymous sources have told AllThingsD.
The company is expected to announce a budget handset — dubbed the iPhone Light or iPhone 5C — alongside the flagship. It’s said the Californian company is hoping to see off cheaper competition such as the Google Nexus 4.
Usually, Apple just drops the price of its older handsets, but speculation is rife that it’ll launch a dedicated budget blower. Pictures that purport to show the handset have been popping up all over the shop. If they’re on the money, the cheaper iPhone will have a plastic back, and come in a range of colours. That’s quite a big ‘if’, though.
According to one source, the handset won’t feel anywhere near as cheap as a Samsung phone.
As ever, Apple is keeping schtum on its plans. CEO Tim Cook did say he was surprised by the demand for the iPhone 4 when the price dropped following the launch of the iPhone 5. He may well have had dollar signs in his eyes.
On the surface, a cheaper iPhone would seem a departure for Apple. In the past, the company has positioned its gadgets as premium products, and priced them accordingly. But with Android handsets getting better and better (and cheaper and cheaper), Apple could well launch a more wallet-friendly model, just as it did with its iPod range several years ago.
The company is also rumoured to be working on a TV set — though talk has gone a little quite on that of late — and a wristwatch. AllThingsD’s source didn’t mention these products, and it could be a little early to see them launch, so maybe we’ll have to wait until next year.
Would you buy a cheaper iPhone? How much would you be willing to pay? And what other gadgets would you like to see Apple launch? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.
