Analyst Says iPhone 5S and Cheaper iPhone Coming in August/September With China Mobile Support

Friday March 1, 2013 8:42 am PST by Eric Slivka
iphone_5_black_whiteTaiwan's Commercial Times reports [Google translation] on a new research note from Barclays analyst Kirk Yang claiming that Apple is indeed preparing both an iPhone 5S and a lower-cost iPhone for launch in the August/September timeframe.

Yang notes that each of the devices will be available in two models: one supporting the standard frequency-division duplexing (FDD) technology used in most of the world and one supporting the time-division duplexing (TDD) used by China Mobile, the world's largest carrier. The report claims that Pegatron has received orders for the FDD version of the lower-cost iPhone, while Foxconn will be building the remaining three models.

The report claims that Apple is still weighing production volume for the new phones, working to estimate how much the lower-cost iPhone will cut into iPhone 5S sales and still gauging appropriate volumes for an expansion to China Mobile. Regardless, Apple does expect total iPhone shipments to be higher than last year's levels.

Yang's report conflicts with a report yesterday from Mac Otakara, which claimed that Apple's lower-cost iPhone is not likely to appear until 2014. It is, however, more in line with a roadmap outlined in January by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a strong track record in predicting Apple's plans.

Just over a month ago, iLounge shared some details on Apple's lower-cost iPhone, noting that it appears something like a hybrid of the iPhone 5 and iPod touch, with rear edge curves reminiscent of the iPod classic. The report claimed that the device will be half a millimeter taller and wider and one millimeter thicker than the iPhone 5 in order to account for the thicker plastic casing.

Tags: Barclays, Kirk Yang
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MagicWok
91 months ago
I hear analysts say people at Apple are working on something that will be released sometime.
Rating: 5 Votes
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adildacoolset
91 months ago

Hmm, will there be a bigger screen like it was rumored a while ago?


Then it wouldn't be a 5S, would it? Maybe Apple would in fact make the cheaper iPhone bigger. As it was mentioned, it can shut up all of those people crying that iPhones are expensive and small.
Rating: 5 Votes
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Popeye206
91 months ago
Personally... I don't care what they do in China... if a cheaper iPhone helps them sell more... party on... but I hope they don't cheap'n themselves outside of these low-end markets.

Anyway... hardware is not the secret sauce anymore... really... tweek this, add that... it's all evolutionary changes for all the handset makers... Apple, Samsung, HTC and the rest.

What's Apple's secret sauce is their eco system and iOS. They could give us more cool and useful functions with iOS way more than with hardware changes. My iPhone 5 is a nice size... fast... good looking. Nothing to complain about.
Rating: 3 Votes
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iGrip
91 months ago




Apple really boxes themselves in (pun fully intended) with the shape of the iPhone.

It reminds me of the old DEVO song:

Cube top, squared off
Eight corners, 90-degree angles
Flat top, stares straight ahead
Stock parts, blockhead


If Apple were to adopt a more sinuous shape that felt nicer in the hand, then variations and improvements to the form factor would be easy. But so long as they stick to the "squared-off, eight corners, 90-degree angle" aesthetic of the i4 and the i5, there's nowhere to go.
Rating: 3 Votes
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definitive
91 months ago
same rumor, different day...
Rating: 3 Votes
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MacBookPro13"
91 months ago
I'm waiting for the 8th generation. My iPhone 5 should hold up nicely until then :)
Rating: 3 Votes
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taptic
91 months ago
Too many analysts.... they have already been sayin' this. :|
Rating: 3 Votes
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iGrip
91 months ago

Has apple become this predictable and this borning to release a single flagship phone (only phone) once every two years, spec up the insides and call it an S?

S is starting to feel like SUCKER


Naw. The S versions are the good ones. The suckers buy the originals of each series.
Rating: 2 Votes
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RawBert
91 months ago
Anal list.
Rating: 2 Votes
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NOV
91 months ago

Apple really boxes themselves in (pun fully intended) with the shape of the iPhone.

It reminds me of the old DEVO song:



If Apple were to adopt a more sinuous shape that felt nicer in the hand, then variations and improvements to the form factor would be easy. But so long as they stick to the "squared-off, eight corners, 90-degree angle" aesthetic of the i4 and the i5, there's nowhere to go.


Agreed, but let's face it we're dealing here with a clueless, paralyzed company. Many power struggles going on right now at the top, despite the slurrish, comforting words of mr. Cook. Don't expect any revolutionary from Apple to come in 2013, they're just gonna play catching up with Samsung.

If I like the upcoming S4, I'll take that one as my next phone as replacement for my aging iPhone4. Never thought I would write something like this on these boards.

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regardless, it's in the highest range it's been in for most of apples life. that's great.



if you think apple is worried about pandering to the worries of investors then you don't know apple. they worry about two things: 1) making great products. the best they can. 2) earning a profit from said products.

and they deliver on both -- apple is making the best products in its existence, and it's making the most profit in its existence. by the only metric that matters to business -- profit -- apple is doing smashingly and continues to dominate its industries, from pc to mobile.


That's still due to the legacy of mr. Jobs. That magic halo will be fading fast over the next 12 months and the stock market knows that.
Rating: 1 Votes

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